Miscellaneous One-Shots
by RosalindHawkins
Summary: Angelicshipping, Atticshipping, Axisshipping, Azureshipping, Danceshipping, Dragonshipping, Familiarshipping, Fillershipping, Gemshipping, Greedshipping, Heartshipping, Kleptoshipping, Mastershipping, Prodigyshipping, Psychoshipping, Revenantshipping, Revengeshipping, Silentshipping, Softshipping, Vividshipping, Wishshipping, Witshipping. Yaoi/yuri/het fluff angst smut/lemon.
1. Angelicshipping (Ryou x Rafael)

Angelicshipping. Not a request this time; I wrote this for _me_. ^_^

* * *

Ryou lay his ear against his lover's heart, letting out a sigh of contentment. He felt large hands gently comb through his white locks, and he tilted his head back to smile up at Rafael. Ryou was grateful to have found him after the fiasco in Egypt. His life had grown somewhat colorless and dull in the following months, the burden of knowledge that he bore isolating him from the rest of the world. When he'd met Rafael, he'd discovered that the broad-shouldered man was just the same way. It made it easier to bear his burden when he wasn't alone in doing so.

It didn't help that he didn't even have so much as a proper family to support him, and without a family, he didn't feel like he had a proper home. Thanks to Bakura, he hadn't had a terribly strong bond with any of his friends in several years, so he didn't even have a surrogate family to cling to, not really.

Rafael was the same way: he lost his family when he was young and lived a long life in isolation. He'd also been subject to an evil spiritual influence that was too powerful for even his strong will to resist. Neither of them felt like there was a place they really belonged, except with each other.

They were truly fortunate to have bumped into each other, since both had become nomadic. It was easier for Rafael, since he had no trouble finding work, but for Ryou, it was a struggle. At the same time, he didn't want to return to his lonely hovel of an apartment back in Domino. He didn't even renew the lease before he left, simply packed up all of the things he cared about keeping in some sturdy bins and rented a small storage unit instead. It was cheaper that way. Then he'd packed a backpack, bought a bus ticket, and hadn't returned. It had been seven months since the day he left, and he was becoming convinced that he couldn't have made a better decision for himself. After all, it had led him to Rafael.

With Rafael, silence was always comfortable and sweet. They understood each other without words, and neither felt a need to fill the silence when it was something worth savoring for its own sake. They traveled together now, and they had just gotten their passports renewed so that they could go abroad. Ryou planned on telling Yugi tomorrow during their weekly phone call.

Ryou still felt kind of bad for leaving as suddenly as he had, but he felt even worse that he didn't actually feel that bad about it. Maybe if the others had made more of an effort to include him, to not forget about him so often, he would have felt inclined to say goodbye to them, or better still, not leave at all. But they had brought this on themselves, hadn't they?

Then he would remember how Tristan and Joey and Yami had all looked out for him at different points in time, protecting him from Bakura, carrying him when the spirit had injured Ryou. He remembered Tea watching over his unconscious form (thanks to _Bakura_ , he remembered it) and Grandpa watching over him in the hospital. He could even scrounge up positive memories of Marik if he tried hard enough. A sadness crept over Ryou's face as he tried to sort through his complicated feelings.

"Do you miss Domino?" Rafael asked softly, gently taking hold of Ryou's chin in his fingers and tilting his head back so that their eyes could meet.

"I miss… what I could have had in Domino," Ryou answered slowly. "I miss what almost was, but never would have been. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah." Rafael kissed him softly and Ryou shifted his position on Rafael's lap so that he could kiss him more easily. Ryou lifted a hand and tangled his own fingers through his partner's blond hair, holding him close and kissing him hard. Whenever Ryou started to get too sad or regretful or introspective, he always sought that which always made him smile again: Rafael.


	2. Atticshipping (Ryou x Mana)

**Author Notes:** I feel like this concept (i.e. couples yoga) is more suited to fanart than fanfics, but since I can't draw humans to save my life, I wrote a story about it. If _you_ want to draw them doing couples yoga, though, I'd love to see it! Don't ask me how Mana is in the modern timeline, because I don't care enough to come up with an explanation for a one-shot. Enjoy and please review!

* * *

Mana panted softly as she flopped onto her back, staring up at the ceiling as she let her limbs rest. Ryou flopped onto the yoga mat beside her, panting a little too.

"I think we're getting better at this," he commented before pushing himself up and leaning on one elbow so that he could smile down at her. "We've never held that last pose so long before."

"You're getting stronger," she observed with a blush, which clearly pleased him.

"You're getting more flexible," he observed in return, leaning down and capturing her lips in a kiss as his free hand dropped to her waist. Her crop top left her abdomen bare, allowing him to rub little circles over her skin with his thumb as they kissed.

Giggling, Mana broke the kiss and exclaimed, "Ryou! I told you, no messing around on the yoga mats!"

"It's just a kiss," he defended innocently, pushing himself up into a sitting position and standing up before holding out his hands to help her do the same. Mana grunted as she felt her sore muscles ache from the movement. Ryou pulled her against him and kissed her again, but this time, she yielded more easily, leaning into him as he helped her keep her balance. She put her arms around his neck as their kiss deepened, his arms comfortably resting around her waist.

"Are you up for a shower?" Ryou asked, one eyebrow raised as mischief danced in his eyes.

"Hm, I was more in the mood for a bath." She winked at him as she twirled a loose strand of his white hair around her finger.

"Really?"

A half hour later, they were snuggled together in a hot bath, the water easing their sore muscles as they took turns washing each other's hair. They'd done this a few times before since moving in together three months ago.

Mana was the best thing that could have happened to him, and he'd told her so, not for the first time, just last week. Ryou loved her sunny disposition and her optimism. He could have easily slid into deep depression after he was freed from the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. The only reason he hadn't was because he had Mana.

As he slid his hands over her soapy skin, he pondered how strange it was that they both had ties to the Millennium Ring: her mentor had owned it in ancient times to fight evil, and Ryou himself had owned it in modern times as a medium for an evil spirit. They were like two sides of the same coin: ancient and modern, good and evil, choice and fate.

After their bath, they both dressed in comfortable pajamas and curled up on the couch with two small mugs of herbal tea, their record player lazily sounding a pretty waltz from the side table where it spun the wax record in slow circles at 33 1/3 rpm.

Mana called their apartment's decor a cross between new age and shabby chic with a twist of traditional Japanese. Whatever that meant, it fit them both quite nicely, from the cabinet of loose-leaf teas to the shelves of crystals and scented candles to the flea market paintings of occult imagery to the vintage records on their bookshelf to their antique Japanese tea-set.

"Yugi and Anzu are coming over for dinner tomorrow night, right?" Ryou asked, wanting to be certain he had the date right.

"Yep," she replied cheerfully. "I'm going to be making that new ratatouille recipe we found this weekend." A shadow moving languidly across the floor caught her eye, and she called, "Pharaoh, come here baby."

The handsome tabby cat lifted its head at the sound of his name, and he trotted over to the couch before crouching, waggling his hindquarters, and leaping up onto the couch. Ryou chuckled as the cat lay itself out across both of their laps, and he started to scratch the contented feline under the chin, making him purr quite loudly.

"He's absolutely spoiled. Aren't you, big boy?" Ryou looked at the cat for agreement, but he just kept rumbling in pleasure.

"He's a rescue!" Mana protested indignantly. "It's okay to pamper a rescue."

"Is that why you pamper me?" Ryou teased, nuzzling his head against hers the way Pharaoh liked to do. Mana giggled as she nuzzled him back, kissing him briefly before she answered him.

"You're much more to me than a rescue, babe." She kissed him again, and their lips lingered. They unconsciously shifted closer to each other, and Pharaoh, who didn't like getting jostled about between them, jumped down after a few moments, giving his fur a shake before strolling away and curling up in his bed by the vent.

"Mmm, I think it's time for bed, Kitten. Pharaoh's got the right idea." Ryou slid his gaze to the sleeping tabby, Mana following suit before their eyes met again and they exchanged smiles.

"I dare say you're right, Angel."

Ryou carried Mana to bed as she contemplated how fitting it was that his favorite card was the Change of Heart, and how well he fit the role of an angel. Not the sissy stereotypical angel, though. No sir. He was a guardian angel, the kind that wielded a sword of fire and spoke with the wisdom of ages. The kind that had to tell people not to be afraid, because he was so powerful people couldn't help but be wary of him.

"I love you, Mana," he whispered as he lay her down on the sheets and tugged the blankets up over both of them.

"I love you too, Ryou."


	3. Axisshipping (Seto x Zigfried)

**Author Notes:** Rated M. Written as requested: Axisshipping with uke!Seto and BDSM. If you like what you read, please place a request for a one-shot in a review or PM. I'll do almost anything. :D

* * *

"I bet you couldn't figure a way out of this even if you had hours to try," Zigfried boasted, standing over his willing victim with a triumphant grin. Seto would have responded, but the terms of their game forbade him from doing so. Sex was always a game between them, always a gamble. They both liked to play for high stakes. At the moment, Seto's hands were tied together behind his back, the shackle around his neck keeping him within 30 inches of the wall behind him. There was a table three feet to his right, also against the wall, upon which rested the key that would free him from the chain. In addition to all this, Seto was currently blindfolded and seated on the floor, the positioning of the chain making it impossible for him to stand.

Perhaps it was a bit over the top, but they were both young, curious, genius teenagers who were messing around purely for the fun of it and to test their own limits. While the pink-haired teen preferred dominating Seto in ways the other couldn't even imagine, sometimes he gave Seto the chance to turn the tables, like he was now. If Seto could free himself, then Zigfried would be the one in his place. Besides this, they often placed bets. This time, Zigfried had bet his Blue-Eyes White Dragon card that Seto wouldn't be able to restrain himself from speaking during this session. Grunts, groans, moans, and any other noises he could make without using words were allowed, but if he did speak so much as a simple syllable, not only would he not get the Blue-Eyes card, he would have to surrender his rare Different Dimension Dragon card. He fully expected to come away from this duel with Seto's dragon, for he and Seto had been playing these sex games long enough that he knew Seto to be a very verbal fuck.

Seto sat in silence—for that part of the game had already started—and began to shift his legs underneath him so that he could reach the table leg with his foot. He'd been allowed to see the layout of the room before he was blindfolded, of course. Discovering the puzzle wasn't a part of the challenge; the only challenge was to solve it. As Seto carefully pulled the table closer to himself with his foot, he pictured in his mind where the table was in relation to himself, stopping when it was just close enough. He extended his leg while balancing on his other knee, his hands pressed to the wall behind him to aid his balance. Using his bare foot, he nudged the key over the edge of the table, then grasped it off the floor with his toes and slowly drew it to himself. He rested his weight on both his knees and sat on his heels, straining a little to get his hands low enough to grasp the key from his toes. This he succeeded in doing, but the next part was more difficult. Seto had two options now: he could either lean forward and try to work around the length of the chain so that he could unlock the padlock attaching his chain to the ring on the wall; or he could take advantage of the fact that he was double-jointed in both shoulders and bring his arms in front of him so that he could turn around and at least have his hands oriented comfortably in relation to his body. He attempted the former with little success, due to the padlock's keyhole being positioned on the top rather than the bottom, as he'd expected. That left plan B. He attempted this, but he usually only did this trick with his shoulders when he was standing. He ended up getting stuck with one leg through the loop formed by his arms and bound hands, one shoulder dislocated. As he fought to continue with the process, he managed to lose his balance. He made a strangled sound as he slipped and was suspended from the wall, held up only by the chokingly-tight metal collar as his knees slid back to press against the wall. He gasped for air, struggling to upright himself, but continually failing as his limbs were in a useless entanglement, one of his shoulders still dislocated uncomfortably, though painlessly. What hurt most was the pressure at his throat that inhibited his breathing.

Zigfried began to chuckle. "Do you give up?" he asked in his smooth German accent. Gritting his teeth as he tried not to show how inwardly panicked he was at being in such a vulnerable position with no means of freeing himself, he nodded reluctantly, still struggling for air. Zigfried crouched before him and helped to untangle his limbs, relocate his shoulder, and take the key from his tight grasp, setting it back on the table. "Nice try, Kaiba, but if you'd planned a bit more carefully, you could have gotten out."

Kaiba gasped as he felt the end of the riding crop strike against his bare chest. Next moment, Zigfried's mouth slammed against his, meeting in a clash of teeth and tongues. Seto may be bound, but he would still fight for power every chance he got. Since the two of them were both wearing only briefs, Kaiba could feel almost every inch of Zigfried's skin press into his own as the other teen settled himself straddling Seto's lap, still kissing him hard enough to bruise his lips and make them bleed.

Zigfried reached underneath Seto's arms and settled his hands at the top of his back before digging his fingernails in and dragging them down Seto's back in long red streaks. His victim cried out, throwing his head back and grinding his teeth as he fought back words. He panted heavily, lifting his hips to press against Zigfried.

"You like that, don't you?" Zigfried purred. "What do you want me to do to you, Seto?" The brunette grunted with need, but suppressed the urge to speak, no matter how much it hurt. Zigfried leaned in close and began to gnaw on Seto's neck, using his teeth without restraint as he slid his hands down Seto's side to his thighs. He dragged his nails along Seto's legs, teasing him with the light touch before he dug his nails in to give him another set of twin claw marks, coupling the gesture with a hard buck of his hips. Seto groaned, the sound desperate and sharp as he threw his head back against the wall, struggling to maintain his control.

"Sometimes I wonder which you like best, Seto: the taste of my blood, or yours," the fearless dom rasped, voice hoarse with excitement. He hissed faintly as he dragged a serrated knife across the inside of his left wrist, then pressed the shallow wound to Seto's lips, who drank the offered blood greedily, sucking at his skin and prying at it with his teeth in hopes of getting more. Zigfried pulled his arm away, one hand still ghosting its way across the finely sculpted chest as he lifted himself from Seto's lap. Seto whimpered at the lack of sensation, the blood taken from him as well as the warm presence, and he strained forward against the restraints until the collar was choking him again. He gasped and whined, mouth open as he greedily sucked in air, only to have his mouth filled with something else entirely.

He hummed against the member as he sucked, taking it deeper into his mouth and shifting his head to the most accommodating angle. Zigfried's fingers buried themselves into his luscious silky hair, tugging mercilessly at the locks each time his victim made him throb with pleasure, making Seto groan loudly with each pull of his hair. He was making it too easy for him not to talk at the moment, but Zigfried planned on changing that soon.

He fucked Seto's throat hard until he was almost to his own breaking point, then he withdrew and stripped away what little clothing had been left on his partner, pulling his legs out from under him so that he sat directly on the ground, back against the wall as Zigfried applied lubricant as needed. He prepared Seto the absolute bare minimum they had agreed upon, then penetrated him with one fell blow, reveling in the sound of Seto's screams as he writhed on the floor beneath him.

With one gracious hand, he gave Seto tender ministrations, just enough to give him what he needed as Zigfried used Seto the way he always did, rutting him with pure, animal need regardless of the pain he caused the other. Seto screamed again as he came, then bit down on his lip until he tasted blood and could suck on it to keep him otherwise occupied.

Zigfried came shortly after, leaning in against his trapped pet. "Looks like you won our bet," he admitted grudgingly, making Seto grin despite himself. "But you won't win it next time. I can guarantee that."

"That may be," Seto pointed out in a low, husky voice. "But the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is still mine."


	4. Azureshipping (Seto x Tea)

**Author Notes:** Azureshipping in anticipation of the people who will eventually request it. Rated T for smoking, language. Please, enjoy this songfic using "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw ft. Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

* * *

 _ **Bet your window's rolled down and your hair's pulled back  
And I bet you got no idea you're going way too fast  
You're trying not to think about what went wrong  
Trying not to stop 'til you get where you goin'**_

Tea was furious with Seto and his arrogant, overbearing, OCD way of life. Sometimes she could handle it without breaking a sweat, and sometimes it drove her up the wall. This was one of those times when it drove her absolutely insane. One of those times when she began to scream at him about all of the things he did that bothered her, even just a tiny bit. One of those times when he criticized her naivete, her optimism, her belief in the goodness that she believed was in all people. It was rather ironic coming from him, because if she hadn't believed that there was goodness in all people, she probably would never have believed that there was goodness in him too.

The utter rage she'd felt towards him tonight had prompted her to take drastic measures when she left. So she'd taken his car, that is, his favorite car, for he had several. She'd taken his new cherry red convertible Mustang with the black leather interior, souped up engine, white-wall tires, and new car smell. She'd taken it out of pure spite and driven out into the night. Now, she was cruising down the narrow road at almost eighty miles an hour-well over the speed limit. She didn't care. She was angry, and she didn't even care where she was going. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew that she wanted to get away from _him_.

 _ **You're trying to stay awake so I bet you turn on the radio  
And the song goes  
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, hm baby**_

The sound of the roaring engine and the wild wind weren't enough to drown out the noise in her head, so she turned on the radio, which immediately began blasting harsh metal music.

"Damn you, Seto!" she shrieked, stabbing at the station buttons until she found something electro pop. She hated his music. It drove her nuts. Even among the stations she liked, though, she couldn't find a song that wasn't about love. It sickened her, but she finally found one that she could put up with and let it play, hoping that something better would come on after it.

 _ **The highway won't hold you tonight  
The highway don't know you're alive  
The highway don't care if you're all alone  
But I do, I do.**_

Seto took another long drag from his cigarette as he stared out into the night, wondering if he'd really driven her away for good this time. They'd fought before. They'd fought plenty of times before, but it had never ended with such a spectacular clash of wills as it had tonight. The slamming of doors, the scratchy tone of voices raised in angry shouts, and the occasional crash of a thrown item. These sounds had been the symphony ushering out the end of their relationship-perhaps.

Seto couldn't really tell if it was over or not. It never really was clear when they argued like this who'd won, who'd lost, who'd hurt whom the most, and who was leaving whom, if anyone was leaving anybody. They'd gone two whole months without an argument. Two whole months. They'd been dating almost a year, and that had never happened before, which might have been why their fight had been so awful this time around.

He'd let her go as he always did. When she stormed out, he never stopped her, knowing that they both needed to cool down before speaking again. He'd watched her drive away in his mustang without protest, knowing that they could track her using the onboard GPS system to make sure she didn't do anything too stupid. That's what Roland was doing right now, actually: watching his car through a satellite system they'd hacked in order to keep an eye on her. It wasn't something he did out of jealousy or mistrust, although given the kind of person he was, that's what you'd expect. He was concerned for her safety.

He didn't care much where she went so long as she didn't get hurt getting there. She was alone, after all, and the Kaiba mansion was a little ways out from Domino with nothing else terribly close by. If something happened to her and he _wasn't_ spying on her with heat-signal imaging from borrowed satellites, any number of awful things could happen.

 _ **The highway won't dry your tears  
The highway don't need you here  
The highway don't care if you're coming home  
But I do, I do.**_

As he dropped his cigarette butt and squashed it with the toe of his Italian leather shoes, Seto lit himself another. He was usually better than this, but after a fight like that, he was especially tense, and needed something to force him into a state of something akin to calm. He'd never been good at relaxing.

This was usually the time that he would put on his music, blasting it loud enough to forget the cruel ways they'd spoken to each other. Either that, or he'd distract himself with work-especially when it was another fight about his workaholism, just to spite her. Tonight, though, work wasn't enough of a distraction and he didn't want any more loudness to add to his headache. He just wanted the silence, the peaceful quiet of a miserable night. But at least the weather was nice. Not that it mattered much, except that she'd had the hood down when she drove out, and it was a peripheral comfort that there wasn't supposed to be any rain tonight.

It bothered him that he didn't know what was going to happen next. He didn't know if she'd return to him tonight, or tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or next year. He didn't know if she'd return to him at all. This bothered him because, despite their conflicts, their disagreements, their bickering, their screaming at each other until they lost their voices, he did care about her. It mattered to him that she was safe and alright. If she didn't come back to him tonight, then he hoped that she went home or to stay with a friend. He'd told Roland to alert him if she did arrive at any such destination so that he could get some peace that night and stop worrying about her. He needed her.

 _ **I bet you got a dead cell phone in your shotgun seat  
Yeah, I bet you're bending God's ear talking 'bout me.  
You're trying not to let the first tear fall out  
Trying not to think about turning around**_

"Damn it!" she screeched as she threw her dead phone onto the passenger seat. She'd been trying to call Serenity to ask if she could stay with her for the night, but it had died on her mid-dial and there wasn't a phone-charger in this cars. Stupid Seto.

She'd wanted to stay with Serenity because she wasn't in the mood to handle any males right now. Nevermind that Yugi would be sweet and understanding, he was still a guy, and would probably still find a way to justify Kaiba's actions. Besides, even though she was on good terms with him now, Yugi was still her ex, and that would just be too awkward for her.

"They're all idiots!" she yelled angrily into the blackness that surrounded her in this empty section of the countryside. She didn't have many female friends: Serenity and Mai were the only ones living in Domino, but Serenity was her only option, because Mai and Joey lived together now.

"Why do you have to _argue_ over everything?" she yelled, as if she were still talking to Seto. "Why do you always have to do things _your_ way? Why can't you just _compromise_? Why can't you be _spontaneous_ or _playful_ every once in awhile? Would it fucking _kill_ you? Huh?" She blinked rapidly, fighting the tears that filled her eyes. No. No way was she going to let him make her cry. Not again. She'd wasted too many tears on him already.

She couldn't stop the tears once she started though, and as everything before her blurred with the tears that filled her eyes, there was some part of her that let go of that stubborn pride of hers. She let herself cry, because she needed to. She needed to cry, to let it all out. She couldn't see when she was crying, though, and in the dead of night, peripheral vision wasn't terribly helpful. She drifted off the road and hit a tree, screaming with shock and pain as the speeding car was brought to a catastrophic stop.

 _ **You're trying not to get lost in the sound but that song is always on  
So you sing along  
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without I can't live without you baby, oh baby**_

Seto sighed and dropped his head into his hands. Tea had been in surgery for hours now. The moment her car had hit the tree, Roland had called an ambulance, sending them the GPS coordinates for her location while another employee came to inform Seto of what had happened.

Now, here they were at the hospital, his hands shaking as he fought his craving for another cig. He had reached a moment of weakness that made him admit that tea was right: he really needed to quit.

After tonight. He'd quit after tonight, he promised himself, standing and stepping outside so that he could smoke yet another cigarette. It was the only thing getting him through this.

What if she died? What if she died because _he_ had driven her into such a state of desperation and agitation that she couldn't drive safely? He would never forgive himself, never love again, and probably never drive another Mustang.

 _ **The highway won't hold you tonight  
The highway don't know you're alive  
The highway don't care if you're all alone  
But I do, I do.**_

If he could just hold her, just make sure that she was alright, he could take a breath and let himself rest in the knowledge that she would live. He felt terrible that he hadn't even gone to see the site of the accident, but at the same time, he knew that he'd be with her sooner if he went straight to the hospital she was being taken to.

He hadn't even seen the extent of the damage before she'd been swept away into the OR, leaving him out here in the waiting room until they said that she was stable and he could sit with her until she woke up again. He'd sent Mokuba back to bed, even though he'd wanted to come to the hospital too. Mokuba had school tomorrow, and if he could keep his brother following his usual schedule, this whole incident would be less upsetting for him. He'd already upset his brother more than enough for one lifetime.

 _ **The highway won't dry your tears  
The highway don't need you here  
The highway don't care if you're coming home  
But I do, I do.**_

"I stole your _car_." Tea gasped in horror, then realization hit her over the head like a ton of bricks. "I totaled your car!"

"It's okay, Tea," Seto assured, still just stunned with relief that she would be alright. He pat her hand gently as he repeated, "It's okay."

"But that was your favorite car!" she whined apologetically.

"It was just a car."

"But-"

"You mean much more to me than any car, Tea." He fixed her with serious sapphire eyes the burned with such intensity she believed him, relaxing back against her pillows as he eyes started to water.

"I'm sorry, Seto. About everything I said," she murmured, starting to cry.

"No, don't apologize," he said gently, handing her a few tissues from the box on the table. "You were right about everything. I do need to quit smoking and I do need to learn how to loosen up. You were right."

"But I was so mean to you," she sobbed her face obscured with tissues as she made a vain attempt at staunching the flood of tears.

 _ **I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby  
I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby**_

"I deserved it, okay? So please, stop feeling bad about it, stop crying. All of this is my fault. You shouldn't feel bad about any of it. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

Tea sniffled and blinked up at him. He'd never apologized so straightforwardly before, claiming that it was a sign of weakness—which was probably why he looked so uncomfortable and anxious now as he apologized to her. She guessed that was something Gozaburo had mercilessly beaten into his brain at a young age, but he would never talk about his step-father, so she would never know for sure.

"I'm sorry," he repeated softly, taking her hand in his own and giving it a squeeze before he brought it to his lips.

"Oh Seto," she breathed out, suddenly reminded of why she'd fallen for him in the first place. He could be so devastatingly romantic sometimes. Those were almost always planned events, but little moments like this, when he showed his heat for just a moment, were rare and precious to her.

"I love you, Tea."

"I love you too, Seto."

* * *

 **P.S.** Let me just get something clear: I am not an azureshipper. I have never been an azureshipper, nor will I ever be an azureshipper. All of that aside, I am very happy with how this one-shot turned out.


	5. Danceshipping (Mai x Tea)

**Author Notes:** Danceshipping as requested! Rated T. Please review, and if you enjoyed this, please place a one-shot request of your own in either PM or review, or by voting in the poll on my profile. I do my best to fill all requests!

* * *

"I still can't believe it," Tea sobbed, pressing another tissue to her eyes. "H-He loved me, he said he did…"

"If he loved you, he never would have hurt you," Mai said, sitting down beside her on the couch and putting an arm around her shoulders. "The most important thing is that you finally left him, so now he can never hurt you again."

"Thank you for letting me stay with you," Tea sniffled, offering her friend a weak smile. "I spend so much time hanging out with those guys that I don't have a lot of female friends. I just have you and Serenity, and she lives out of town…"

"Don't mention it darling," Mai assured as she handed Tea a pint of chocolate fudge ice cream and a spoon. "Boys are stupid anyways. They wouldn't be able to help you with this kind of problem, so you came to the right place."

Tea accepted the ice cream and spoon with a weak smile before pressing the frozen pint against the bruise on her cheek to numb the pain.

"Thanks Mai. You're a true friend."

* * *

Mai didn't have a guest bedroom, but she had a large queen-size bed, so she let Tea join her in it that night. Tea woke up in the middle of the night, panicked and crying. Mai was a light sleeper, so she soon awoke as well.

"Tea, what's wrong?" she asked blearily, yanking off her sleeping mask and blinking at her friend. Tea just hid her face in her hands as she cried, so Mai pulled herself into a sitting position and plucked a tissue from the box on the nightstand. "There, there, deary. No need to cry. You're safe here, and his overpriced ass is on its way back to Germany."

Tea laughed weakly at that.

"And that hair? Puh-lease! I've seen poodles who wore pink better than him."

That had the short-haired brunette giggling, despite her tears.

"His accent is so ridiculous it almost sounds fake."

"That's true," Tea agreed with a small smile.

"And he's not even that successful. Kaiba's richer than him and, I would argue, a much better person. Given the choice between the two of them, I'd pick ol' Moneybags over the sideshow freak."

Tea started to truly laugh now, leaning against Mai as she laughed good and hard like she hadn't in a long while.

"Feeling better?" Mai asked softly, combing her fingers through Tea's soft hair.

"Much better," her friend murmured. "Thank you, Mai."

"Anytime, darling." She leaned in and pecked Tea's lips, making her friend blush and smile back sweetly. "Anytime."

They lay down again, cuddled together for comfort.


	6. Dragonshipping (Yami x Jounouchi)

**Author Notes:** Dragonshipping: substance abuse/addiction, angst, bullying, yaoi, obscure ship. Uses elements voted for in my current profile poll. If you want to influence which elements appear in my stories/one-shots, then vote in my poll! Please review and enjoy!

* * *

Jounouchi lifted a hand to his face and pulled it away to look at it. He squinted at it and was relieved when he didn't see much blood. Slowly, stiffly, he pushed his bruised body off of the pavement, concrete grit biting into the skin of his palms as he found his footing and carefully stood. He swayed a little, his balance poor as he vision blurred. He placed one scraped hand against the wall of the school to steady himself, but it didn't really help. His head swam, his stomach sloshed, and his body ached like he was one giant wound all over.

He should have known better than to open his big, fat mouth. He shouldn't have provoked the jerk who'd been bragging about his conquests at lunch. He should have known that he'd have a gang behind him. He should have known that he wouldn't get away with putting the other teen in his place.

He was missing class but the was the last thing on his mind right now. He could feel the craving for relief, for detachment from the pain, but he bit his lip and simply stumbled inside the school, making his clumsy way to the bathroom so he could wash up a bit. Splashing some sink water on his face, however, wouldn't wash away the black eye or the pain it caused. If anything, it made the open skin of his palm sting even more. His hands shook as he reached for a paper towel from the dispenser. The brown was spotted red by the time it was tossed into the trash can.

He braced his hands on either side of the sink, closing his eyes as a wave of nausea swept over him. He reached into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around some tiny, oblong capsules. As he started pulling his hand out of his pocket, he felt a warm shadow at his back and a hand grab his wrist, holding it in place.

"Let go, Jounouchi," Yami instructed in his deep, soothing voice. Jounouchi grit his teeth as he kept his fist clenched, but Yami pressed his thumb and fingers to either side of his wrist and _squeezed_. With a choked gasp, Jounouchi released the pills, watching them drop into a dirty puddle on the tiled bathroom floor. Yami's grip loosened and his hand slipped down to hold Joey's to give it a gentle squeeze. Yami had been trying to get Joey to quit for a couple weeks now. He'd go a few days without taking any, but each fight he got into left him more damaged than before, making him run right back to his drugs for relief.

"Come on, let me get you to the school nurse."

Jounouchi let himself be led out of the bathroom, let himself be helped all the way to the nurse when his legs became too weak. And he let himself be taken back to Yugi's house after spending what remained of the school day resting in the nurse's office.

* * *

"What was I supposed to do?" Jounouchi protested, defending his actions as Yami got something from the freezer. "Back down and let 'im get away with it?"

"That's exactly what you should have done." The King of Games looked Jounouchi squarely in the eye as he handed him the bag of frozen peas. Jounouchi pressed it to his black eye as his friend crossed his arms and watched him in stern silence. "You're a fighter, Jou," he said at last, stepping closer to him. "Don't stop fighting, but learn how to pick your battles."

Jounouchi grunted and started to turn away from him, but Yami gently grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Look at me, Jounouchi."

Jounouchi turned to look at him, his anger apparent.

"I'm not trying to change who you are. I'm not telling you how to live your life. I'm just trying to help a friend in need." His voice caught on the word "friend" because they both knew that he was so much more than that. They both knew, but neither of them would say it. Tension crackled in the air between them like electricity before a thunderstorm. Jounouchi was the one to break it.

"Ah, Yug," he muttered, his stiff posture relaxing a little as he threw an arm around the other's shoulders and pulled him close into a loose embrace. He knew it wasn't Yugi he was holding. It was only kind of Yugi. Partly Yugi. Somewhat Yugi. It was confusing, but he understood the gist of it. Sometimes it was both of them, sometimes it was just the pharaoh. Since he didn't have a name, Jounouchi didn't know what to call him except for "Yugi."

"Come."

It was a simple command that Jounouchi obeyed as Yami took him by the hand and led him upstairs to his room. Yugi's room, that is. Thinking about it gave Jounouchi even more of a headache than he already had, so he stopped thinking about.

"Sit."

Jounouchi sat on the edge of the bed, not wanting to get the covers dirty with the grit that probably clung to his clothes after his fist-fight behind the school. Yami stood close to him and brushed Jounouchi's hair away from his eyes. Yami's gaze was strange. It was different than ever before. The orchid depths of his crystal eyes sparkled, and his eyelids seemed to droop low.

"How do you feel?" His voice was soft as he asked after his injured friend's health.

"As good as can be expected, I guess," Jounouchi answered with a shrug and a half-smile. "The medicine they gave me is working, but..."

"But not as much as you'd like," Yami finished, understanding all too well what kind of medicine Jounouchi really wanted in that moment. The blond's fists were clenched and resting on his knees as he struggled to control his body's cravings, the cravings he'd instilled in the first place.

"Yeah." Jounouchi closed his eyes as Yami's fingers combed through his messy hair. He could feel his face heat up at the intimate touch, but he liked it too much to tell him to stop.

"I would tell you to stay home from school tomorrow, but you've already missed so many classes. Are you failing any of them?"

"Maybe a couple," Jounouchi admitted grudgingly. He didn't want to talk about school. He just wanted to focus on these moments with Yami's hands in his hair as he stood between Jounouchi's legs. Jou sneakily placed his hands on Yami's hips, resting them there for a few moments before he tugged Yami forward a bit.

"Come to school with me tomorrow," Yami breathed out hesitantly. "I want to keep an eye on you, make sure that you're doing alright. You can come home with me after school again, I can help you with you classes. We still have time to get your grades up before the end of the year."

"Hm." Classes were the last thing on Jounouchi's mind right now. He bit his bottom lip as Yami's scent tickled his nose and he started to imagine all the things he wanted to be doing with Yami, _to_ Yami. A bulge was rising in his pants as he butted his nose against Yami's chest and pressed his face into the other's shirt.

"Jou?" Yami's hands in his friend's hair stilled, his eyes glassy as he looked down at the blond. The bag of frozen peas had been discarded on the bed-covers, Jounouchi preferring to use Yami's presence as his painkiller.

"Yeah?" Jounouchi tilted his head back, even his swollen eye sparkling as he stared back at his friend. Yami leaned down a bit, his hands moving to rest on Jounouchi's shoulders. Their lips were just a breath away, and Jou was the one to close the distance. They kissed softly at first, and while Jou was eager for more, Yami seemed to remember better than the blond that he was bruised all over and not operating at full capacity. Jounouchi kept stretching up towards Yami, who continued to press many brief kisses to the other's lips. When he pulled back fully, Jou whined his disappointment. Yami shushed him and knelt between his legs, cupping his palm around the bulge in Joey's pants so that his whine turned to a moan.

"I love you, Jou," Yami whispered, his amethyst eyes sparkling at the blond. "I don't want to see you hurt again. I don't want to see you high again. Let me help you."

"I love you too," he whispered, his eyes watering a little as he saw how much pain it caused Yami to see him at his worst. "I'll do better, I promise."


	7. Familiarshipping (Critias x Kisara)

**Author Notes:** Familiarshipping as requested. Super fluffy! Part of the canon for my blueshipping story "Don't Forget To Remember Me." Rated K. Enjoy!

* * *

"Whoah, calm down, boy," Critias urged his horse as the thunderstorm raged on outside. The jet black yearling colt spooked again as another thunderclap shook the stables. "There's nothing to fear," the blond boy murmured softly as he reached out to the frightened horse with both hands. The colt shifted its weight uneasily as Critias stroked his colt's neck, continuing to murmur comforting things.

"How's Cobalt doing?" Timaeus called from the stall next to his.

"Better," Critias answered shortly. "How's Garnet?"

"Still nervous, but I think he's mostly calm now," Timaeus answered as he stroked his own ruddy chestnut colt.

"Is Hermos still asleep?"

"It would appear so."

Critias snorted disdainfully. "If he carries on like this, I don't see how he's going to keep up with our training." As Hermos' unattended colt neighed in panic, Cobalt started to grow uneasy again, shifting on prancing feet as he side-stepped in an attempt to escape the corner Critias had backed him into.

"Whoah, it's alright, boy, it's alright," Critias said calmly and confidently as he took hold of Cobalt's halter and held his head down to keep him from rearing. He stroked the colt's neck until he was calm again, then reached into his pocket for a treat. He held out his flat hand with a small pile of oats sitting in the middle of his palm. Cobalt lapped them up eagerly, and Critias rubbed his colt's nose affectionately.

Hermos' colt neighed again, sounding distressed as he started to kick at the door to his stall, and Critias bit back his frustration.

"I'll go wake him up," Timaeus called, leaving his own colt's stall. "He needs to learn that he can't be so careless with another living creature."

"Thanks," Critias called back. "I'll see if I can get Jasper to settle down a bit so he doesn't break the lock again."

As Timaeus pulled up the hood of his cloak and ran out into the driving rain to rouse Hermos and get him to tend to his skittish horse, Critias hugged Cobalt's neck before leaving him to venture into Jasper's stall. The dark bay yearling belonging to the third member of their trio of squires was the smallest of the three at this point, but he was the wildest by far. They'd all been born into captivity, but there was a streak of indomitable spirit in Hermos' horse that made him difficult to train.

He was also more terrified of thunder than the other two combined. Granted, they rarely had thunderstorms in Atlantis, but on those occasions, Jasper turned into something unearthly. The first thunderstorm the colts experienced, Jasper had broken free from the stable and all three squires had been responsible for catching him and later fixing the stall door.

Critias stood at a safe distance from where Jasper was rearing and pawing at the stable door, holding out his hands in a calming gesture.

"Whoah, boy. Calm down." It wasn't so much that the horses could understand their words as it was that the horses understood the tones of their voices and responded to that. After a few minutes of tentative coaxing, Critias managed to get Jasper to stay on all four feet. He was about to enter the stall now that it was safe, when he looked over the edge of the door and saw how sparse the hay was on the floor. He rolled his eyes, annoyed by Hermos' inadequate care of his own horse, and decided to remedy the situation himself. Hermos would be here soon to take care of his own colt, after all.

He ran over to the ladder leading up to the hayloft and ascended it with the easy agility of a thirteen-year-old boy. As he reached the top, a flash of lightning illuminated the loft for him, and he froze.

An angel. She couldn't be anything else. The straw for Jasper's stall forgotten, he crept over to the sleeping girl, kneeling beside her as he tried to get a better look at her face.

She was soaked, that much he could tell by looking at her. So she hadn't been here long, then, since it was warm enough in the stables that she would've started to dry. She wore a plain blue frock and looked to be about his age or a year younger. The next flash of lightning showed him that her face was flushed, and he tentatively let the back of his hand rest against her forehead. She was burning up, her fever hotter than Timaeus' had been last winter when he got sick with pneumonia.

He heard the voices of Timaeus gently chiding Hermos for his inattentiveness and Hermos defending himself against the accusations.

"Critias, where'd you go?" Timaeus called.

The blond squire stuck his head down from the hayloft and shouted, "Hermos, go get the doctor! There's someone sick up here!"

"Why do _I_ gotta?" Hermos complained, resistant to any exertion at this hour of the night.

"Because you're faster than us," Critias snapped. "Just do it!" Hermos took off, the ego-boost enough to make him change his mind.

"Who is it?" Timaeus asked, looking concerned.

"I don't know. She's not from the castle, though." Timaeus joined him in the hayloft, bringing both of their cloaks so that they could spread them over the girl to keep her warm.

"I was getting more straw for Jasper's stall when I found her," Critias explained, sitting at her side as he nervously watched her for signs of life. "Do you think we should wake her up?"

"I think we should wait for Anaximander," Timaeus said calmly. "Hermos IS the fastest runner among the three of us, after all, and the best at making noise, so he should have no trouble waking him up."

Critias chuckled at that, his laughter interrupted by the sound of Jasper pounding his hooves fiercely against his stall door.

"I'll go take care of him," Timaeus offered as he moved towards the ladder and descended to make good on his words. Jasper made a sound that was most accurately termed a scream, and the girl in the hayloft stirred. Her eyes slowly blinked open, but Critias couldn't tell what color they were in the darkness. For a few moments, Critias held his breath and watched her get her bearings. She started when she realized that she wasn't alone.

"I'm sorry-" she began, looking afraid, but he stopped her.

"It's okay, don't worry," he said soothingly, speaking to her the same way he'd been talking to Cobalt. "The doctor is on his way. You're going to be okay."

She relaxed, then struggled into a somewhat upright position, keeping the boys' cloaks over her shivering form. After a few moments of silence, another flash of lightning lit the world for less than a second, giving the girl a brief peek at her companion.

"What's your name?" she asked quietly, her voice sweet even though it was weak and hesitant.

"Critias. What's yours?"

"Kisara."

A mighty crash of thunder shook the stable, and Kisara cried out in fear. In the same moment that she reached out to him for protection, he reached out to her to offer reassurance.

"You're safe here," he informed her gently. "Nobody's going to hurt you."

"I just… I hate the thunder," she whispered timidly, clinging to him desperately.

"That's okay, Cobalt does too." Critias patted the top of her head in a comforting manner, noticing that some hay was tangled into her long pale hair.

"Cobalt?"

"My colt," Critias answered proudly.

"You're… a squire?"

"Yep."

"Wow…"

They heard the voices of Hermos and Anaximander, the doctor, as they entered the stable, and Critias helped Kisara to lay back against the hay before he went to the top of the ladder to ask how he could be of help.


	8. Fillershipping (Rebecca x Noah)

**Author Notes:** Rated K. When I came up with an idea for this one, I realized that I could potentially draw it out. If you would like to see more of this story, let me know in a review and I'll try to get to it when I wrap up one of the long-term stories I'm working on now. Enjoy!

* * *

Rebecca Hawkins was thoroughly enjoying her time in Kaiba's virtual reality game. She'd gotten her hands on it as soon as it came out. At the moment, she was pursuing side quests in order to build up experience and acquire better weapons before going after the boss on this level. She was supposed to fight her way through a series of monsters in order to reach the back of a cave so that she could mine some elemental crystals for the blacksmith. She liked the idea of forging custom weapons by gathering the right materials through side quests; it allowed her to control the stats of the weapon, and she preferred having control of those things. She didn't become the the American Duel Monsters Champion by letting other people make her decks. Sure, she'd used her grandfather's deck when dueling Yugi after Duelist Kingdom, but that was for poetic justice. She had other self-built decks, like the one she'd used in the KC World Championship.

"Wow!" she exclaimed as she entered the final cavern. It was filled with multi-colored crystals growing all over the walls, reflecting and refracting the light that shone from her lantern. She took a moment to do a full turn and enjoy the kaleidoscopic splendor of the cavern. She was the only one in here, but she saw a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye as she turned.

"Hello? Is someone there?" Silence answered her question in the negative, but she trusted her eyes. She'd seen someone else in here with her. She moved backwards to block the only way in and out of the crystal cavern so that whoever it was couldn't escape before answering to her. "I know you're in here, so just come on out!" She held up her lantern, hoping that the light would help her to see the intruder. She gazed around the room and caught sight of a distorted figure reflected in one large crystal. A boy, about her age, with green hair and white clothes, and that was all she could make out with any degree of certainty.

"I see you over there, you know," she said loudly, sounding a less angry now that she could see the intruder was no real threat to her. "With your green hair. So why don't you just come on out and tell me who you are?"

Silence for a few moments, then the boy came out of hiding at last. "I'm sorry for spying on you," he apologized politely. "But I was very impressed with your performance on the last quest and wanted to see more of your skills. You're the best player I've seen so far." Rebecca watched him curiously for a moment. He didn't talk like an NPC, but he didn't talk quite like a gamer either.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Noah. What's yours?"

"Rebecca." She put a hand on her hip while continuing to hold up her lantern. "Are you a beta-tester?"

"No," he answered immediately, then looked uncomfortable.

"And you're not an NPC?"

He laughed at that. "No, I'm not an NPC."

"Then you're a player?" she concluded.

"Not… quite, no," he answered, looking unsure of himself.

Rebecca gasped. "You're a hacker!"

"No, no, no!" Noah cried, waving his hands in front of him in heavy denial. He looked distressed by her claim and came a few steps forward, bringing himself closer to her, but not too close. "I'm not a hacker. I mean, I am perfectly capable of being a hacker. I have the intelligence and skills to be one. I could even warp this entire virtual world and trap all of the players in here if I wanted to, but I don't want to. I'm not bad anymore." He smiled reassuringly, but Rebecca still looked suspicious, although she felt grudging admiration for someone who seemed to be almost as smart as her, if not equally so.

"What are you doing here, then? Does Kaiba know you're here?"

"Yes, he knows," Noah assured. "He's given me the authority to discipline and expel players who I catch cheating."

"So you followed me because you thought I was cheating?!" Rebecca exclaimed, outraged. "I'll have you know that I am an extremely skilled gamer, and that I have earned all of my achievements in this game _and_ the real world! And another thing, I don't appreciate your—"

"Wait," Noah said suddenly, looking off at one of the cave walls, but not really seeing it. "Someone just entered a cheat-code. I have to go."

"Will I see you again?" Rebecca asked, feeling conflicted. She found him to be… impressive, even though she was still struggling to understand why Kaiba had hired a child to enforce the rules of his MMORPG virtual reality game. She was curious, and she wanted to know more about him.

"Of course," he answered, looking at her with a sly smile before walking through the cave wall and disappearing. Players definitely weren't allowed to do that. Nobody could do that. Who was he? The more Rebecca thought about him, she felt her cheeks grow hot as if warmed by the sun. This was silly. She didn't have a crush on the cute, supposedly intelligent, mint-haired boy. She was hopelessly devoted to Yugi, after all. Wasn't she?


	9. Gemshipping (Ryou x Akefia)

**Author Notes:** Rated M for smut. Gemshipping as requested! Enjoy, review, and place a request in a review or by voting in the poll on my profile.

* * *

"You are _mine_ ," Akefia growled as he stroked Ryou's hair, the younger, smaller figure laying on his chest with his ear pressed to Akefia's heart. "You shouldn't have let them touch you."

"You think I _let_ them?" Ryou retorted, still shaken up by the incident. "I've already had my fill of assaults for the rest of my life, thank you very much."

"Well maybe if you hadn't dressed so provocatively then—"

" _You_ wanted me to wear that!" Ryou protested, starting to pull away. "Don't try to blame _me_ for this! You can't have it both ways: if you want to show me off at a club, you can't expect people to leave me alone." It was an unfortunate, constant truth of Ryou's life that no matter where he went, there would always be somebody who wished to do him harm. In middle and high school, he was bullied for being a nerd, for looking effeminate, for not being athletic. In high school, there'd even been a few rape attempts that he had only narrowly escaped from, and even then he'd needed others to come and save him. He was eternally grateful to Joey and Tristan for all they'd done to try and protect him from those particular perverts. Now that he was in college, the bullying was almost entirely replaced with rape attempts and assault by drunken, jealous meat-heads and he had to depend on either Akefia or himself for rescue.

Ryou hadn't asked for any of it. He hated violence, hated pain, hated that he always seemed to be a target and a victim, no matter how he tried to turn his life around. It was high time he bought himself some pepper spray and took a self-defense class. As he slid off the bed and started to walk away, Akefia reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Wait, come back, I didn't mean it like that," he slurred as he pulled Ryou back to him. Unfortunately, he was too strong for Ryou to resist.

"You're drunk," Ryou said with a tone of disgust as he removed Akefia's hand from his arm and moved away more quickly than last time. "Just like them."

He left their bedroom and went to the kitchen, putting on the kettle so he could make himself some tea and maybe get some sleep tonight. But Akefia had stumbled after him, and with the kettle taken care of, Akefia wrapped his arms around Ryou and pulled him towards the couch.

"I love you more than they ever could, and you know it." He kissed Ryou's neck hungrily, his hands sliding up under his boyfriend's oversized tee-shirt to stroke his pale chest. Ryou sighed, letting go of his anger as he put his arms around Akefia's neck and dropped his head back, letting out a soft moan as his tan lover nipped at his neck. As they embraced, their bodies were pressed closer together, only their boxers and Ryou's shirt separating their skin.

The whistling tea kettle brought Ryou back to reality, and he released Akefia reluctantly as he went to turn the stove off. He poured the hot water into his tea cup and stirred in a small amount of honey before adding an ice cube to help it cool down more quickly. Akefia sat on the couch and watched him with hooded eyes. Ryou sipped his chamomile tea cautiously, then joined Akefia on the couch, sitting down and leaning against him, careful not to upset his tea.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" he asked quietly as he put an arm around Ryou's narrow shoulders and kissed the top of his head.

"No, I'm not mad at you," Ryou answered gently. "You can't help it if you act like an alpha male every now and then. It's who you are." Akefia growled faintly and kissed Ryou's cheek.

"You make it sound like being an alpha male is a bad thing," he murmured, letting his other hand drop to Ryou's thigh and knead it faintly. " _You've_ certainly enjoyed my alpha male-ness many times," he said with a smirk.

"A-Akefia, careful!" Ryou gasped, blushing fiercely as he tried not to wriggle. "I'm holding hot tea!"

"Then drink it quickly. I'm getting needy."

"Impatient, more like it," he mumbled before sipping his tea again. Thanks to the ice cube he'd added earlier, it was cool enough for him to drink it quickly and set the tea cup down on the coffee table. As soon as he'd done so, though, Akefia was lifting Ryou in his arms and carrying him back to bed, depositing him on the wrinkled bedcovers and stripping him of his shirt.

"Subtlety never was your forte," Ryou sighed and smiled up at his boyfriend as the Thief King lifted Ryou's long, pale legs and wrapped them loosely around his waist, stroking his thighs with his large, strong hands. "Do you think you could slow down a bit?" His alabaster cheeks turned rosy again. "I'm not… ready yet. Not everybody's as horny as you." Akefia just grinned at him as he dropped his hands from Ryou's thighs and leaned forward, bracing his hands on either side of Ryou's head as he began to kiss him deeply, hungrily. Ryou's legs tightened around Akefia's waist as they began to grind their hips together.

They'd been together a long time, and while Ryou did tend to get annoyed with some of the things Akefia did, and while Akefia didn't understand some of Ryou's habits, their love was strong. It had withstood much, and it would take a lot to break them up. Maybe it had something to do with their souls being so intimately connected, but they both knew without a doubt that they would never leave each other. No, life wouldn't always be perfect, but they would always have each other.


	10. Greedshipping (Yugi x Ushio)

**Author Notes:** Greedshipping, because it was requested. Rated M. Feel free to place a request of your own in a review!

* * *

Yugi's pulse raced as he ran towards school, where he was supposed to meet Ushio to give him the money he'd demanded. He'd tried to solve the puzzle so that he could use that wish to get him out of this mess, but he hadn't completed it in time. That left him with less than half the money the bully had demanded. Sure, he could have pawned the golden artifact and gotten far more money than he needed, but it mattered to him much more than that. He just couldn't sell the Millennium Puzzle, which left him with only one option: hand over what money he could and beg for mercy.

When he reached the schoolyard, Ushio was right where he said he would be, under the broken streetlamp.

"Did you bring the money?" he asked menacingly from the shadows, where he was barely visible.

"I-I brought all that I had…" Yugi whispered timidly, holding out his money. Ushio snatched it out of his hands and started thumbing through the bills, somehow able to count it even in the dark.

"This isn't nearly enough!" he growled, seized Yugi by the front of his shirt and lifting him with ease so that he could give him a hard shake. "You trying to cheat me, punk?"

"N-No, I-I just don't h-have any more money!" Yugi protested weakly.

"Did you try taking any from the register in your old man's store?" the bully asked gruffly.

"That would be stealing!" Yugi gasped. Such a thing hadn't occurred to him at all.

"Then you _haven't_ given me all of your money!" The tall, bulky teen shouted at him, making the pacifist flinch back in fear. "If you want to repay your debt, then you need to get the rest of the money you owe me. I don't care if you have to steal it."

"Please, please, anything but that! I'll do anything else to repay you, but don't make me steal!" Yugi's pathetic begging almost sent Ushio into a rage, but before he began to pummel the shorter teen, an idea stopped him.

"Anything?" He lifted one caterpillar eyebrow at his victim, although the expression was lost on Yugi, who still couldn't see a thing in the darkness.

"Y-Yes, anything," Yugi answered in a tentative whine, holding his breath as he waited for the other to speak again. He let out a cry as he was dropped to the ground, then hauled back to his feet. He heard something-the sound of a zipper, the rustling of fabric-and then he was being yanked forward, something large and hot and fleshy being forced into his open mouth as he gasped in fear and shock.

"Do this, and your debt is repaid."

Yugi could hardly process the words as he choked and spluttered, squeezing his eyes shut as shame washed over him. He couldn't steal from Grandpa, he just couldn't. How could he ever face him again? Even so, he tried to pull away, but a strong, meaty hand on the back of his head held him in place. He didn't have a choice.


	11. Heartshipping (Yugi x Ryou)

**Heartshipping fluff as requested! The first two segments take place during Duelist Kingdom. Rated K (sorry if you were hoping for smut).**

* * *

Ryou followed as Yugi beckoned to him with a jerk of his head. Now that the shadow game with the Spirit of the Millennium Ring was over, the others were still asleep. The two boys moved off a little bit to a place where they could talk without disturbing their friends.

"Ryou, how long have you had that evil spirit with you?" he asked softly, pity filling his heart.

"Ever since I received the Millennium Ring as a gift from my father," Ryou answered softly, touching the artifact that hung around his neck on a simple brown cord.

"Has he ever done anything like this before?" Yugi asked with concern.

"Kind of," Ryou answered evasively. "I mean, I've never encountered another Millennium Item before, so he's never quite gone this far, but…"

"But what?" Yugi asked softly, starting to grow concerned.

"Well, for the longest time, I didn't have any real contact with him. All I knew was that when I tried playing games with my friends, they would fall into a coma and end up in the hospital." Yugi gasped, making Ryou wince. "It's why I've been to so many schools over the years, why I live alone, why I try to keep my distance from others at school. I don't want him to hurt anybody else." He lifted his head a little, brave look on his face as he looked Yugi in the eye. "And I'm willing to do whatever it takes so he that he doesn't."

"That's terrible!" Yugi cried, throwing his arms around his friend. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Ryou," he said warmly, fighting back tears. "We can all help you."

"Thank you, Yugi," Ryou said gently, his eyes sad as he hugged the other boy in return. "But this is something I have to do on my own."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi couldn't understand why he'd want to isolate himself like this.

"He's cruel, Yugi," Ryou whispered, fear creeping into his voice as he hugged the other one more tightly. "He places no value on human life. When he called himself a stealer of souls, he wasn't exaggerating. He has a collection of my friends' souls that he trapped in various trading cards and game pieces. He's stolen over a hundred souls, and I can't let him steal anymore, let alone yours." He blushed and added, "Or Joey's or anybody else's. Not when you and your friends have been so kind to me."

"They're your friends too, Ryou," Yugi corrected gently, doing his best to maintain a smile. "How did he reveal himself to you when he finally did?"

Ryou placed a hand over the Millennium Ring, pressing it close to his chest as he bowed his head sadly. "I don't really want to talk about it," he murmured, and Yugi chose to respect that. He scooted over to sit closer to Ryou and put an arm around him. His British friend gave him a grateful smile, and the two gentle souls leaned against each other, turning their attention to the moon and the stars, watching the peaceful sky and letting it replace their current thoughts with ones far more pleasant.

* * *

Ryou put his hands on Yugi's shoulders, trying to comfort him. Yugi was still crying, overwhelmed by the fact that he was almost unable to stop the Spirit of the Puzzle from killing Kaiba. He'd sworn to never duel again, and Ryou understood why he would say something like that. He'd felt the same way for a long time, but not about dueling.

Ryou'd wanted to give up on having friends because of the Evil Spirit's antics. He didn't want to hurt anyone else, didn't want to feel guilty anymore, didn't want to cause more pain than he already had. As Tea and Mai bickered about star chips and a duel, Ryou was focused solely on Yugi, how he remained silent and seemingly oblivious to everything that happened around him. Even when the girls had started to duel, Yugi didn't seem to be aware of any of it.

"Excuse me, I'm going to try to talk to Yugi and see if he'll come around," Ryou said to Joey and Tristan as he began to lead Yugi into the woods for some privacy. When they were several feet in, Ryou stopped and crouched in front of Yugi, holding his hands as he tried to come up with the right words.

"I know exactly how you feel," he murmured at last. "I know what it feels like to lose control and not be able to stop it. I know how it feels when the other presence hurts someone and you can't do a thing about it, and all you can think to do is try to keep it from ever happening again." He blinked as his eyes started to water, not wanting to cry right now. This wasn't about him, after all. It was about Yugi. "But I don't think you need to give up dueling. After all, he was just trying to help you get to Pegasus's castle so that you could rescue your Grandpa. He wasn't _trying_ to hurt anybody." Ryou smiled weakly, and added, "Besides, it's through dueling that you saved me from the Spirit of the Ring."

"Is this how you feel all the time?" Yugi whispered, finally lifting his eyes to Ryou's. His friend nodded faintly. "How do you bear it? I can hardly stand it after just one incident." He sighed, his eyes falling to the ground again. "You're stronger than me, Ryou. I can't live like this…"

* * *

Yami Bakura kept Ryou and Yugi apart for the longest time. Ryou refused to put Yugi in such danger, and Yugi agreed because Yami advised him that it was the right thing for them to do, for now. Once the Spirit of the Millennium Ring was banished permanently, though, Ryou was free to love and live.

A year after they'd returned from Egypt, and Yugi was coping well after losing Yami, but only because he had Ryou. As their time at Domino High drew to a close, they had to face the future together and plan ahead to figure out how they'd make it work.

"I can't tell if you're actually taller than me now, or if that's just your hair," Ryou teased as he sat on the couch beside his boyfriend, resting the bowl of popcorn on his lap as Yugi put an arm around his shoulders. Ryou snuggled comfortably against him as Yugi pushed play on the movie, smiling down at his lover.

"You'd better believe it," Yugi teased, kissing Ryou's forehead as the movie started. Neither of them were truly worried about their future. Their relationship was built on the strong friendship they'd forged through times of adversity, and it seemed impossible that something should ever get between the two of them.


	12. Kleptoshipping (Yugi x Bakura)

**Author Notes:** Kleptoshipping as requested, knifeplay and all. Takes place pre-canon, before Yugi knows about Yami Bakura and the Millennium Ring, hence why he calls Bakura 'Ryou' in this fic, but trust me, it's not Ryou. ;) Sorry for the lame ending. Rated M for smut, BDSM, bloodplay.

* * *

 **"And baby, when it's love, if it's not rough it isn't fun."  
** _ **~Pokerface**_ **by Lady Gaga**

Yugi may be opposed to violence, yet, knives entranced him. So when Ryou had turned around, knife in hand, his eyes narrowed as his eyes met Yugi's, the shorter teen was blushing, feeling uncomfortably… excited. Those narrowed eyes seemed to stare straight into Yugi's soul and read his darkest desires, making Yugi feel absolutely naked and vulnerable, entirely at the other boy's mercy.

That had been three days ago. Now, Ryou was in his bedroom, grinning like the Cheshire cat as he stared down at his meek, willing mouse. Ryou'd snuck in through Yugi's window while he was downstairs eating dinner, although the spiky-haired boy had no idea how he'd managed it. Ryou'd simply sat there, sharpening his knife as Yugi entered his own bedroom and saw the intruder.

They'd waited for Yugi's grandpa to fall asleep before doing anything, because Mr. Moto was currently on a medication for his arthritis that made him sleepy. Once he fell asleep, he was asleep for good.

Now, Yugi was handcuffed to his own bed dressed in clothes that he "didn't care about"—that was what Ryou'd instructed him to put on. He'd spread a towel over his sheets, afraid of leaving any evidence of their actions, not wanting to be discovered. After all, Yugi was understandably very secretive about his fetish. Ryou'd read his mind, though, which was the only way he knew about it.

Ryou now crouched between Yugi's legs, sizing him up with an appraising, calculating look. Then he pulled a strip of cloth out of his back pocket and held it up for the other to see, raising an eyebrow in question. Yugi just nodded, and Bakura expertly fastened on the blindfold. It occurred to Yugi briefly that perhaps he should be doing this with someone he knew better, someone he knew he could trust. But he decided to shove that thought aside. Who did he know that would be up for this? Only Ryou. Besides, their brief acquaintance added an extra element of danger and excitement, and there was some part of Yugi that didn't really believe that something bad could possibly happen to him.

Bakura seized Yugi's mouth in a rough kiss, not bothering with any pretense of tenderness, but that was okay. Yugi liked it that way. Yugi felt the chill of cold steel pressed to his neck, and he whimpered into Bakura's kiss, wanting more. The knife slid down from his neck and made contact with the neckline of his t-shirt, then heard the fabric rip and tear as his dom savagely sawed through it, the kiss broken while this happened. Chilly air from the open window hit his chest, and he gasped. As the bottom hem of his shirt was cut through, the edge of the blade caught Yugi's skin, leaving a bright red line about three inches long across his stomach. Yugi whined and arched to encourage his partner, feeling incredibly aroused already.

For Bakura, this was a dream come true: he could do whatever he wanted, and little Yugi, the chosen one, would love it no matter what. After the way his sub reacted to being cut, Bakura was intrigued. He dragged the sharp edge of the blade along the boy's stomach again, forming an X with the first mark.

"Yes!" Yugi gasped, his hands pulling at the handcuffs, relishing the sensation of physical restraint. Bakura smirked and slid the flat of the knife to the pale chest before him, making his victim pant softly and lift his hips from the mattress, craving stimulation.

"Patience, my pet," Bakura crooned, lifting the knife off of Yugi's chest. He kissed him roughly again, deepening the kiss so that he could invade his mouth, plundering his warm, wet depths like the tomb-robber he was. He broke their kiss again and pushed Yugi's chin back, making the skin of his neck nice and taut. That was when he signed his name with the tip of the knife, carefully carving the hieroglyph for "thief" into the teen's skin. Yugi seemed like he was about to use their safe-word, but he didn't. Instead he panted and gasped as Bakura's knee pressed firmly to his crotch, making him whine loud enough to surprise himself. If he had used the safe-word, Bakura wouldn't have listened; he'd only agreed to that to make the boy trust him. He wiped the tip of the knife against Yugi's lip, letting him taste his own blood before Bakura licked the crimson fluid from the pale neck he'd marked. He sucked and licked, becoming rather excited himself as Yugi vocalized how much he enjoyed the pain. One last kiss, one that tasted metallic, then Bakura finished cutting the clothes from the small body, playing with his toy to see just how much of a show he could tease out of him.

Naked at last, Yugi trembled with desire, panting hard as he was touched teasingly by the one who would turn out to be his worst enemy. Bakura prepared him with lubed fingers, but not too much. After all, without pain, how could it be any good? He pushed his own pants and boxers down to his knees, then pushed Yugi's legs further apart. He slicked himself with lube before lining up and entering his mortal enemy with a hard thrust that made the high-schooler shriek.

"That's right, scream for me," Bakura whispered in a hoarse voice, his own breathing somewhat labored now. He pulled out, then slammed into the boy again and again, reveling in every moan and squeal and whine he made. Yugi writhed with the pain and pleasure that warred within him, but he enjoyed every moment of it.

"B-Bakura!"

"Beg me for it," the Spirit of the Millennium Ring ordered sharply as he neared his own completion.

"Please... make me cum!" Yugi begged and pleaded shamelessly, and the only thing that could have made Bakura happier in that moment was if he had Atem in that very same position. He came inside his sub and withdrew, making him whimper with desperation.

Bakura's hand wrapped around the boy's shaft as his lips found its way around its head, and within seconds, his meek mouse was delirious with pleasure, moaning as he finally reached the point of release. Normally, Bakura wouldn't have done such a thing, but he truly did hate getting someone else's mess on himself. Within seconds, he'd made himself presentable, no longer vulnerable, unlike his nemesis, whom he was tempted to kill at that very moment, while he was still humming with erotic pleasure. Too bad that wasn't part of his plan.

* * *

"How am I going to hide this without being obvious about it?" Yugi murmured fretfully as he studied his neck in the mirror.

"Try this," Bakura said, handing the shorter teen a black collar with a wink. It was something he'd bought specifically for him, specifically for this purpose. "Just say it's an accessory."


	13. Mastershipping (Seto x Duke)

**Author Notes:** Mastershipping as requested! Takes place on the Battle City Blimp, at the end of Season Two. Includes elements requested in poll: Battle City, yaoi, obscure ship.

* * *

Duke had felt somewhat squished between Joey and Tristan in the bed they'd shared, and, unable to sleep, he'd decided to look around the blimp a little. If anyone else was still awake, he might be able to find some company. That was his hope, at least. He couldn't find anyone in the common areas, and as he was returning to his shared room in sour defeat, he turned a corner and bumped into none other than Kaiba himself.

"Oh, sorry," Duke said automatically as he stepped aside.

The brunette didn't say "excuse me" or spare more than a fraction of a second to look directly at Duke before brushing past him. This irritated the dice-master.

"Hey, I was talking to you! The least you can say is 'excuse me'!" he called down the hall, but Kaiba ignored him. "You think you're better than me, don't you?" Duke scoffed, indignantly placing his hands on his hips. "We're more alike than you think, Kaiba."

The brunette stopped in his tracks and half-turned to glare at Duke.

"How so?" he asked bluntly, arms crossed.

Duke took that moment to actually look at him, to appreciate his true physique now that it wasn't obscured by his dramatic, over-sized coat: broad shoulders that truly didn't need any accentuation; the tight black shirt that hinted at a muscular chest; the fitted black pants that subtly displayed a fine ass; sharp facial features; glittering sapphire eyes; hunter-green belt tightened around a slim waist, held together by a large silver buckle sporting the KaibaCorp logo. Duke sank into one hip, then dropped his hands and began to slink towards the older teen.

"We're both attracted to power." His voice was soft and sugary sweet as he came to a stop in front of Kaiba. "It's a… weakness we share." He let his eyes travel up the other's body suggestively, smirking as he teased the billionaire.

"I have no weaknesses." His answer was automatic as he fixed Duke with a disapproving glare. he didn't step back, though, or move away from him. That would be a retreat, and he was not the kind of man to retreat from anything.

"We're both businessman involved in the gaming industry," Duke pointed out, lowering his eyelids a little in an alluring way. "Except I'm an entrepreneur, and you're, well…" He shrugged indifferently as he edged closer to the CEO.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Duke and uncrossed his arms to place his hands on his hips as Duke had done earlier. He didn't like what Duke was insinuating. The idea that this mediocre duelist was belittling his achievements was getting under his skin.

"You're not," Duke answered simply. "You don't like risks."

"I'm _careful_ ," Kaiba growled in response, leaning forward unintentionally. "It's one of many traits that contribute to my success."

"It's one of many traits that are holding you back," Duke quipped.

Kaiba grunted dismissively. "I fail to see any evidence of that."

"It's hard to enjoy life when you don't take a few risks." Duke lifted a hand and began to twirl the string of Kaiba's locket around his finger, his eyes intently fixed on Kaiba's. "And you clearly don't enjoy much of anything."

"I disagree." Seto didn't like where this was going. Duke was penetrating his defenses, whether he realized it or not, and he needed to put a stop to it. "And I posit that this is none of your business."

"Are you even _capable_ of taking a chance?" the black-haired teen whispered, his finger still twisting the string around his finger. He wasn't going to let Kaiba escape from him _that_ easily. This was the most interesting conversation he'd had all day. "Doing something even when the odds aren't _completely_ in your favor?"

"Now you're questioning my _abilities_?" Kaiba sounded angry, and his default glare took on a more fierce quality. "If you don't want to get thrown off this blimp, I suggest you cease insulting my intellect."

"Then prove to me that you're capable of spontaneity." It was a challenge, and Duke knew that Kaiba couldn't stand to lose anything. Hopefully he'd rise to this one just as he rose to each of Joey's challenges whenever he wanted to duel. It was like Kaiba was addicted to games, he just couldn't _stand_ to turn down an opportunity to prove himself.

"What?"

Duke tugged on Seto's necklace to pull him closer, their faces intimately close now. "Take a chance with me, tonight. Right now." He was practically begging to be kissed.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Seto now sounded harsher than ever, but his pulse was ratcheting up to a new speed, and Duke suspected that the roughness in his voice was more than just anger. Maybe it wasn't anger at all.

"Is that a no?" He arched one eyebrow at the brunette and slightly pouted, his emerald eyes enticing Kaiba into more than a kiss, but Kaiba seemed immune to his magnetic charm. Seto removed Duke's hand from his necklace and placed that hand on the center of Duke's chest, shoving him away so that his back slammed into the wall. Duke was stunned for a moment, and while he was still shocked, Kaiba took advantage of the opportunity to speak without being so close to this seductive force of nature.

"Yes, that's a rejection." He straightened up and took a step back, his hand still firmly pinning Duke to the wall. "That should be obvious to you now."

Duke smirked just the same, who didn't seem even a bit off-put by Kaiba's use of force. If anything, he seemed to like it, for some reason or other. "Is that your final answer?"

Kaiba glared at Duke in disgust, then removed his hand and started walking away at a brisk pace. Duke pushed himself away from the wall and watched Kaiba for a moment.

"If you change your mind, find me," he called after the brunette. "Wait too long, though, and you might find that I've moved on."

Kaiba glanced back at him in consternation, only to have Duke wink at him and disappear around the corner.


	14. Prodigyshipping (Seto x Rebecca)

**Author Notes:** Prodigyshipping as requested! I wanted to make this one as canon as possible (character-wise), so I changed their ages so that during canon events, she would have been sixteen and he would have been eighteen. This happens a few years post-canon, just as Mokuba's entering high school. And yes, Seto is completely sapiosexual in this story. Because they're geniuses. He's turned on by her brain. ^_^

If you like this, then please review and place a request for any shipping one-shot of your choice! I always do my best to fill all requests. Enjoy!

* * *

Seto sighed as he stroked the long blond hair of the woman asleep in bed beside him. This wasn't the first time that he wished to fall asleep beside her, to stay the night in the penthouse apartment he'd rented for her in Domino, and it wasn't the first night he'd resist the urge and return to his home instead.

He stood and slipped out of bed so that he could get dressed, pondering not for the first time how they'd come to be in this situation.

Rebecca Hawkins, that arrogant little "genius" that once hung around with the dweeb patrol, had come to him with a proposition. She was only two years younger than him, but he'd seen far more of life's horrors and man's depravity, and his experience, contrasted with her naivete, seemed to create a vast gulf between them. She'd stood there in his office, tall and confident, and proposed something to him that was so absurd he could hardly believe his ears at the time.

Apparently, she and her grandfather had fallen on hard times, financially. Her grandfather was in debt and out of a job, she was in college on a full scholarship, and she needed a job that could pay a lot for what little time she had available. Somehow, she'd thought that being a professional courtesan was the best option available to her.

Not just that, she'd been incredibly clever about the whole thing, figuring out what kind of price would be par for her position, how much she could reasonably ask for, and what kind of clientele she was targeting. She'd even been clever enough to realize that her intelligence distinguished her from other courtesans, making her uniquely talented. And she'd used that damned cleverness to realize that she knew exactly who she would appeal to.

She was right to deduce that Seto Kaiba could not stand for a dull-witted companion. She was right to deduce that he was too conscious of his reputation to spoil it with clubbing and partying, and too disgusted by the whole sordid downtown scene to engage in any of its activities, no matter how gratifying they promised to be. She also knew that the chances of him having a secret girlfriend or lover tucked away somewhere in his mansion were slim to none.

Rebecca had looked at the situation with an economic eye, unlike Seto himself: she'd seen a demand and made herself the supply. She'd found his weakness, and he'd hated her for it.

 _Seto looked down at the contract she'd put on his desk as she stood before him and waited for his answer. She'd drawn up a bloody contract for this arrangement. There wasn't a single thing she hadn't thought of: he'd pay for the birth control, but she'd pay for her own food; he'd pay rent on the apartment, she'd be certain to be available to him every evening and any other time he requested her services so long as she was given fair warning; he'd pay her a fixed, monthly amount, and she'd be certain to take care of herself and her looks. Over a dozen other details were covered in more specificity inside the contract itself, which he planned on reading more carefully later, when he had the time. He looked up at her skeptically, a voice in the back of his head still repeating a shocked, "What the fuck?"_

 _"And you think I'd agree to something like this?" he asked, his tone blaise, his demeanor cool, almost entirely indifferent. This was a business transaction, after all. There was no reason to be worked up over anything._

 _"I think you need me," she replied boldly, crossing her arms as her eyes danced with amusement. She was smirking, but only faintly. It was strange to see her face moving only in small, controlled increments, much like his own. He remembered her being something of a spitfire the last time they'd met._

 _"I don't need anybody," he scoffed, pushing his chair away from his desk and taking some papers from his desk as he turned around to replace them in their proper places in the filing cabinet behind his desk._

 _"You need Mokuba."_

 _Had she really just dared to bring his little brother into this? He stilled for a moment, then slipped the last stack of stapled pages into the manila folder before closer the drawer and turning around, folding his arms as well._

 _"Are you threatening me?"_

 _"No, I was contradicting you." Her expression was one of extreme satisfaction. They stared each other down in proud, stubborn silence for several long moments._

 _"It would be nothing more than a business arrangement?" he asked dubiously. "Girls tend to have a hard time controlling their feelings, and subsequently get themselves and others entangled in an emotional mess." That was a purposeful jab designed to see if she had really matured into the kind of person he could tolerate as a companion._

 _"It would be a purely business arrangement," she replied slowly, even though what she really wanted to do was burst out at him in anger, tell him that she wasn't a_ girl _, she was a_ woman _. If she was to impress him, she needed to show that she could be just as logical, just as professional, just as detached as him. "You'd be using me for satisfaction and companionship, and I'd be using you for monetary gain and a temporary luxurious lifestyle. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."_

 _Too bad for Kaiba, her efforts to impress him were working._

 _"I'll get back to you about it after I've had more time to read your... contract." The words were dripping with scorn, as if he couldn't believe that she actually thought he would seriously consider her offer._

 _"You have twenty-four hours to make your decision. After that, my fee goes up." She stepped forward and held out a hand to him as she said, "Have a good day, Mr. Kaiba."_

 _He looked down at her hand for a moment, then reluctantly uncrossed his arms and shook her hand firmly. Then she turned and left, looking more confident than she felt. She'd known intellectually what would impress him, what he would value, yet, he was as inscrutable as ever. She wasn't capable of recognizing when he was impressed and when he was genuinely insulted. She'd thought she was doing well, but she honestly didn't know._

 _As Seto read the contract that night, he found himself both amused and further impressed. Oh, the audacity! She had balls, that much was certain, and he could acknowledge that she really was a fine specimen when he allowed himself to look at her appearance with an objective eye. She was obviously intelligent, which was something he_ did _value, more than he'd ever said. The idea of spending a night with a stupid slut revolted him, but how had she known that? He'd never told anybody that, simply because he never had occasion to._

 _He didn't like that she'd been able to read him so well, that she'd managed to uncover his one need that he couldn't satisfy by himself. He was tempted to reject her out of pure spite because of it._

 _He called her to accept the proposition that very night._

He didn't just find her tolerable; despite himself, he genuinely enjoyed her company, and the sex wasn't bad either. Far from it, in fact. Mokuba and even Roland noticed that he suddenly seemed to be in a consistent good mood most of the time. She'd been right: he needed her, even if this was only a monetary, sexual, and intellectual relationship. Rebecca too found that she enjoyed his presence more than she thought she should.

They'd both been mature adults going into this arrangement, and yet, Cupid had gotten the better of both of them. Rebecca was trying to accept the fact that she'd miss Seto when this came to an end while Seto was trying to think of a way to express his interest without making himself at all vulnerable. He glanced at his sleeping light-o'-love one last time.

The contract had clearly stated that their arrangement would last four months, the duration of a single semester of college. They only had two weeks left before the contract expired and this tenuous union dissolved. He wasn't ready for that, not yet, but how to say that without feeling like a fool?

He contemplated this problem as he rode the elevator down from her apartment to the street level. An idea finally struck him as he drove home in his ferrari. He pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and put the call on bluetooth, not wanting to wait to act on his idea.

* * *

The next morning, Rebecca woke up at 6:05. She had a quiz that day in her eight a.m. class and she needed to be there early. She went to the kitchen wearing only the silk dressing gown Seto had provided for her and was met with a surprise. A dozen red roses in a crystal vase sat on her kitchen counter. He'd sent her gifts before, out of a vague sense of obligation: lingerie, jewelry, perfume. He'd never given her anything that necessarily implied an emotional attachment, only a sexual relationship. This, though… _Surely_ not even Seto Kaiba was ignorant of the symbolism of twelve red roses, was he?

Rebecca approached the counter and reached out to stroke the impossibly soft petals. That was when she noticed the card and the small jewelry box at the base of the vase. She opened the jewelry box first, which happened to contain a pair of sapphire and diamond earrings. She smiled, pleased at the gift, then reached for the card, which held only a single simple sentence: "I would like to extend our arrangement."

She smiled broadly at the card, feeling happier than she'd felt in a long time. This was a new kind of happiness, something she'd never felt before. She smiled as she ate breakfast, smiled as she showered, smiled as she left for classes, and smiled for the whole rest of the day.


	15. Psychoshipping (Bakura x Yami Marik)

**Author Notes** : Psychoshipping as requested! Includes the requested elements: Battle City, yaoi, non-con/dub-con, interpolation of canon events. I'm going to write my Fetishshipping one-shot as a sequel to this, so there's a good chance this will eventually be moved to it's own story, but I'm putting it here for now. In this story, Marik is the hikari, Malik is the yami. Please review!

* * *

"Perhaps we should settle this with a duel." Bakura held up his left arm, the gyroscopic mechanisms inside the Duel Disk sensing the action and activating it. Marik's spirit floated beside him as they both glared at his darker half. "And let's make it a Shadow Game while we're at it: If I win, Marik gets his body back and we resume our partnership." He glanced to the side, and when Marik nodded slightly in agreement, he looked back at Malik. "If you win, you can have the Millennium Ring. Do we have a deal?"

Malik still had his arms crossed, not having yet activated his Duel Disk. He looked thoughtful in a cold, calculating way. He'd had full control of Marik's body for a few hours now, which was more than he'd ever had before put together. The longer he remained in control, the more he developed into a whole person in his own right. What he'd begun to develop today, that he'd never had before, was a sexuality. Dueling Mai had been an exhilarating, _arousing_ experience, but something in the back of his mind, some shred of sanity that he'd stolen from Marik, told him that if he tried to do anything overtly sexual with Mai in the middle of a duel, Kaiba would have had him thrown off the blimp without a second thought. Now, though, Bakura had come to him and offered to make a deal because he _needed_ something from Malik. He could make this work in his favor.

"I don't want to duel you."

Bakura growled in the back of his throat. "Then what _do_ you want?"

"I want to fuck you." Malik made his proposition with such aplomb that it sent shockwaves through both duelists who faced him from the opposite side of the Stratos Dueling Arena.

" _What_?" Bakura's face quickly became red and blotchy, but no amount of vitriol in his voice could hide his embarrassment—no, shame—at such a proposition. "What do I look like to you, a whore?!"

"That's _my_ body!" Marik protested, his own face livid with indignation. "You can't just do with it whatever you please!"

"You lost your right to your body when I overpowered you," Malik said scornfully to his lighter half as he began to remove the Duel Disk from his arm. "I don't know what a whore is, but I doubt it's something I _need_ to know." He set his Duel Disk on the ground and approached Bakura, who seemed frozen in place. Malik had already crossed half the distance between them by the time Bakura found his voice again.

"Take another step closer to me and I'll tear your throat out with my own teeth!" Bakura snarled, which was enough of a threat to make Malik stop—for now. Marik resented such a threat, because he could tell that Bakura was dead serious about it, but he was too flustered and ashamed to speak up.

"I thought we had a deal," Malik queried coolly, tilting his head to the side as if confused.

"I will _never_ agree to that." Bakura was trembling with anger now; the only good thing about this situation was that none of Yugi's little friends were around to see this.

"Too bad; it's the only way you'll actually get what you want." Malik crossed his arms again, smirking at Bakura as the wind tugged at his purple cape, making it flutter and flap and swirl around his legs. With his posture and his cape, Bakura couldn't help but liken him to Kaiba.

"Bakura—" Marik dared to open his mouth, voice sounding strained and thick, but before he could voice any opinion, Bakura turned on him, hellfire burning in his eyes.

"You're not useful enough for me to _give up_ my Millennium Ring _and_ let myself be—" He spluttered for a moment, overcome with rage, as he struggled for the right word. " _Shtupped_ by this psycho!"

"If I let you _keep_ the Ring," Malik began, his voice taking on a more persuasive texture. "Will you do it?"

"Hell no!" Bakura began to turn away, far too proud to stoop to such a level, but he'd only taken two steps towards the elevator when he was tackled to the ground by a furious Malik. The air was knocked out of him as the other teen landed heavily on Bakura, firmly pinning him to the ground. Bakura struggled for a few moments, but Malik grabbed his wrists in a vice-like grip and held his arms down, immobilizing him.

"Thanks for the warning," he muttered, casting a glare at the spirit of his partner in crime. Marik looked distraught and felt like he couldn't even think straight.

"I didn't see him coming!" he protested. "You should have known better than to turn your back on him!"

"Bakura."

The white-haired teen shuddered as he felt Malik lips by his ear, his hot breath flowing over the skin of his neck. He twisted his head away from him as much as their position allowed for, but he couldn't get very far from him at all.

"I _will_ have my way with you, whether you consent or not," he hissed into his prey's ear, then flicked his tongue inside it. Bakura's stomach churned with revulsion. "If you agree to my offer, then at least you'll get something out of it."

"I'd rather duel you and send you to hell myself," Bakura growled, maintaining his previous position.

"There's only a small sliver of a chance that you'll beat me." Malik smirked, sounding victorious, and now he looked up at his other self. "You wouldn't have nearly as much of an advantage as you think you would if you tried to duel me. If you let me screw you, at least you know you'll win."

"I don't really win if you're still around, though, do I?" Breathing was becoming more difficult for Bakura the longer Malik's weight pressed down on him. "I don't really win if I get fucked by a monster like you and I _don't_ get the Winged Dragon of Ra."

"But you'd have your... partner back," Malik pointed out suggestively, watching Marik's face for any tell-tale signs that Bakura and Marik were anything more than associates.

"I never lost him," Bakura said pointedly, but with much difficulty.

"Bakura, when he says that he'll take you either way, he means it."

Bakura lifted his head to meet Marik's concerned gaze.

"I don't want you getting hurt on my account, but if you're going to be hurt one way or another, I'd rather you take the least harmful option, which would seem to be... cooperating." Marik stiffened, preparing himself for Bakura's scorn, but Malik saved him from the imminent tirade.

"He's right, you know. If you agree to my offer, we can do things on your terms." Malik flicked his tongue into Bakura's ear again, making his victim hiss in rebellion.

"No blood."

"Mine or yours?"

"Mine," Bakura clarified, wresting his arms from Malik's grip and crawling out from under him as Malik leaned off of him—finally—and let him sit up and catch his breath. "I don't give a rat's ass about your body"—Marik bit his lip to keep himself from interrupting with an angry outburst of his own—"but I _do_ need mine in relatively good condition. I don't need you causing any unnecessary damage, but I doubt you even know how to do that." With a superior air, he stood and brushed himself off. "I'll bet _your_ idea of sex is us dropping our pants and just going at it like animals right here and now, isn't it?"

Malik stood and licked his lips. "Sounds like fun to me."

Bakura rolled his eyes in disdain. "If you're going to fuck me, you're going to do it right. When you've figured out how to do that, then we'll talk about it." He turned on his heel and left the befuddled alter ego behind him on the upper deck. He entered the elevator, Marik beside him, and crossed his arms.

"This is all your fault."

"How—"

"Thanks to your inability to resolve your own issues, _I'm_ going to get _screwed over_ by your repressed sexuality!"

"I'm not _gay_ , Bakura," Marik grumbled, but deep down, he was starting to have doubts.

"Marik, he's _you_! If _he's_ gay, then _you_ are too!"

"Not that it matters much, because we're both getting screwed over," Marik pointed out. "He's using _my_ body and _I_ don't consent to this anymore than _you_ do."

Bakura rolled his eyes at Marik with a look of disgust. "Stop trying to make this about you. Between the two of us, _I'm_ getting the worst part of the deal. You benefit from it, he benefits from it. My only benefit is that I get raped less violently than otherwise!"

This deal grated on Bakura's pride. His tactics seemed ineffective on Malik, which was enormously frustrating to him. He hated not having the upper hand. Hopefully, though, his demand that Malik do some research before they did the deed would give him time to, in more ways than one, prepare himself.

"I hate you."

"I hate you too."


	16. Revenantshipping (Amane x Yami)

**Author Notes:** AU where Amane is the host of the Spirit of the Millennium Ring. Rated T for depression and eating disorders. Fluffy/angsty revenantshipping (Amane Bakura x Yami).

* * *

Yami Bakura was gone, the Thief King's soul finally passing on to the afterlife, leaving behind an empty vessel. Amane was struggling to find her identity now that he was gone. He'd been with her for so long, during some of the most formative years of her life, that she didn't know what to do with herself. The frightening presence in her mind was absent, and it made her realize that she was now well and truly alone. As long as he'd been there, she'd never been truly alone.

As the months of the school year dragged on, a heavy depression settled on her shoulders, weighing on her heart and chest to the point where she felt like she was suffocating. She was struggling in her classes, quiet around her friends, feeling physically unwell more often than not. She felt like she was crying at least twice a week, and her eating habits were all over the place. She felt tired all the time, whether or not she got enough sleep. She often went days without smiling. She felt listless, worthless, useless.

Christmas vacation finally came, always the worst time of year for her, and she'd still not confided in any of her friends about her problems. In the past month, though, Yami had started treating her differently, not a bad kind of different, just something other than before. Did he notice that something was wrong? She hoped that he did as much as she hoped that he didn't. She felt ashamed of asking for help as much as she felt desperate for help.

He'd begun to treat her with more sensitivity and gentleness than she had any right to expect, than she thought she deserved. He began to make sure that she never sat alone at lunch and that she never walked home alone. By the end of the last week of school before Christmas break, he was walking her home everyday without fail. Most of the time they didn't talk at all, but it was alright, because with Yami, the silence was comfortable. She didn't feel pressure or discomfort or sorrow or pain. With Yami, she felt safe. His smile had a way of making you feel like the most precious person in the world, and she was content to let that feeling linger while she was with him, because she knew that it wouldn't last too long once he was gone.

This time, though, when they had reached her front door, Yami had more to say than a mere farewell. "Will you be coming to the Christmas Eve party?" he asked.

Amane froze. "I-I don't know," she stammered, not entirely honest. There was only one thing that made Christmas even worse than it already was, and that was holiday parties. She'd tried attending them as a child, and if she didn't cry at the party, she always cried afterward. "I mean, I always hold out hope that my father might call on Christmas Eve. Not that he ever has, but there was one time as a child when he promised to call on Christmas Eve, and he forgot, and it's become somewhat of a tradition for me to wait for him to… not call me on Christmas Eve…" She felt like an idiot for rambling on the way she had, and she looked away as she blinked back the tears that threatened to spill over.

Yami didn't seem to think that she was an idiot, though. He stepped forward and gave her a warm hug. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said gently before pulling away. "Isn't that all the more reason for you to come to the party, though? Nobody should be alone on Christmas Eve." When Amane still hesitated, he added, "I could pick you up and drive you to the party if that helps, so that you don't have to walk all the way there through the snow."

Amane couldn't be so rude as to say no to such a thoughtful offer. She smiled faintly, the unfamiliar expression feeling strange on her face. "Thank you, Yami. Yes, I'll come."

Yami beamed at her, and for a moment, it felt like she was facing the sun, and the whole world smiled with him. "Good, I'm glad. I'd miss you if you weren't there. I'll see you on Tuesday, then!"

* * *

Tuesday evening came, and Amane felt ridiculously nervous. For one thing, she hadn't gotten herself to eat in a couple of days, and the empty stomach, while strangely reassuring in some sick way, was taking its toll on her. Her blood sugar was dangerously low, and while she hadn't fainted yet, she might. If she wasn't careful, she might.

The evening went rather disastrously, in her estimation. When she and Yami got to the party, she managed to go a half hour without consuming anything. Then Tea had offered her a piece of homemade fudge, and Amane would have felt awful turning her down. She ate it, and then some homemade hot chocolate. Both foods were incredibly rich, and soon she felt sick to her stomach. When she thought nobody was watching, she snuck off to the bathroom before she started to throw up. When she'd emptied her stomach, she cleaned up a bit and walked weakly out of the bathroom, going to the kitchen to get a drink of water. From the kitchen she crept to the coat closet, starting to pull on her jacket and gloves when Yami appeared in the hallway.

"Is everything alright, Amane?" Yami asked, looking concerned.

"I-I'm sick. I need to go home," she answered hesitantly, embarrassed and ashamed.

"If you're feeling sick, then you shouldn't be walking home alone in this weather," Yami insisted, starting to reach for his own coat. It was snowing again, the flakes falling in thick clumps. "Let me at least drive you home."

"You don't have to do that," Amane insisted, feeling bad for pulling him away from the party. He shouldn't have to miss it on her account.

"Yes I do," he assured her warmly, making her insides melt. "I take care of my friends when they're in trouble."

Amane blushed and stammered out a thank you, unable to put up a fight against his calm, steady kindness. She waited in the hallway while Yami let the rest of their friends know that he was taking her home.

They were both fairly silent during the drive back to her home, and when they got there, she expected him to leave the car running and simply go back to the party, but he had other plans. He turned the car off and went inside with her, wanting to make sure that she was well settled before he left.

She changed into baggy, comfy clothes that could serve as pajamas and went back into the kitchen to find Yami making tea for them. "Oh, thank you, you didn't have to do that," she stammered, surprised and touched by his kindness. She hadn't thought that he was going to stay with her here for any period of time, so she didn't what to say or do at the moment.

"You're sick; it's the least I can do to help," he assured her, making Amane soften with gratitude and guilt simultaneously. The kettle would take several minutes to heat up, so they sat on the couch while they waited. "Amane, I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now," Yami said, his tone serious but not angry. Amane swallowed nervously. "You've been acting differently this semester. Is something wrong? Did something happen to your father?"

His words surprised a bitter laugh out of her. "My father? If something had happened to him, I'd be the last to know. It's been years since I last heard from him, but as long as the rent checks keep coming, I suppose he's alright." She couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was afraid of what he thought about her feelings towards her father, of what he thought about her in general.

"But you're not fine," he said quietly, watching her with a look of focused concern. He'd noticed that she hadn't answered that part of his question. She didn't contradict him, so he continued, "You seem… unhappy much of the time. You don't get excited about anything anymore, and you're so quiet that I hardly ever hear you speak unless I talk to you directly. Something's going on that you won't talk to anybody about." She folded her arms over her chest, looking cold, and he grabbed one of the big blankets on the couch and wrapped it around her tightly. She looked up at him, her eyes an unpleasant swirl of sorrow, fear, and guilt, and he hesitated only temporarily before taking her hands in his own. "Can you please tell me what's wrong?"

The earnest concern in his voice, the pleading look in his eyes, the reassuring pressure of his hands. It was all too much for Amane to resist, and before she could even try to stop herself, she'd started crying. Yami's arms slipped in between her and the blanket, pulling her into a comforting embrace. She threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. She attempted speaking through her sobs, trying to explain to him why she was crying, what was wrong. Her words were hysterical and unintelligible, so Yami gently shushed her, rubbing her back soothingly to get her to relax and calm down a bit. She didn't need to explain anything to him just yet. She needed to cry, so he'd let her cry. He plucked tissues from the box on the side-table, handing them to her as they were needed, much to her appreciation.

Eventually, she was able to pull herself together and start speaking with a decent level of composure. She explained to him the identity crisis she was going through now that the spirit of the Millennium ring had passed on, the depression and how it had onset a few months ago, and, with much shame, she told him about the erratic eating habits that had accompanied it.

"Three nights ago I baked a batch of cookies and ate the whole thing in one sitting. I felt so wretched afterward that I haven't eaten since…" Yami's eyes opened wide in alarm. Amane hid her face in her hands, more tears trickling down her wet cheeks. "That's why I threw up at the party earlier," she confessed quietly amid guilty sniffles. "The chocolate was just too rich for my stomach, and it made me sick…"

Yami's arm snaked around her shoulders, giving her a comforting squeeze before he murmured, "Then how about I make you some chicken noodle soup. Does that sound good to you?" She nodded vaguely, and he handed her another tissue. She blew her nose as he stood up and went into the kitchen, getting a pot of soup on the stove and taking mental note of what her pantry and cupboards were and were not stocked with. While the soup simmered, he poured the hot water into their mugs, brewing two cups of peppermint tea with a spoonful of honey in each.

He'd put the flame on low under the kettle because he'd wanted to talk with her for a while, to figure out what was wrong. He hadn't realized that things were this bad, but then again, they could be worse. She hadn't mentioned cutting or being anorexic, so that was good. He would check her wrists and medicine cabinet to be sure, but he felt fairly certain that if those were current problems, she would have told him by now. After all, she'd told him everything else, hadn't she?

He brought their tea to the living room, setting it down on the coffee-table before retreating back to the kitchen to ladle the hot soup into two bowls and bring those in as well. He set them down in front of her before sitting down close by her side and putting an arm around her shoulders.

"It's going to be alright, Amane," he whispered encouragingly, pressing a brief kiss to her forehead.

"I want to believe that, I really do," she whispered, lifting her tear-stained face, his now inches from hers. "Sometimes I feel like my only purpose in life was to host the Thief King's spirit, and that there's nothing left for me to do here. I'm afraid that I don't have a reason to live or much of a destiny beyond this point. I feel so… useless."

Yami pulled her into a tight hug, cradling her head against his chest as he quietly shushed his tearful friend. "No more talk of that," he said sternly. "You matter to me, to all of us. We want you here, and I _need_ you here."

Amane lifted her head, looking at him with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" she asked faintly. The only answer she got was his firm, warm lips pressed against her own.

* * *

For the rest of Christmas vacation, Yami came to visit Amane every day. He helped her get her life back on track in every way possible. He went grocery shopping with her, helping her to pick out healthy foods that were also satisfying, teaching her some of the recipes he knew from memory. He helped her with her schoolwork, which she'd been too distracted lately to mentally grasp, which meant that she'd fallen behind. He explained the material in such a way that she understood it and actually felt prepared to go back to classes in January.

Besides all that, he showed her what there was to be happy about in life, all of the beautiful things that she'd been missing. Amane included Yami himself in the category of beautiful things she'd been missing out on, which made him blush with modesty when she told him as much.

"But you are beautiful," she'd murmured while her fingers tangled into his multicolored hair, her head on his shoulder as she sat across his lap.

"Not as beautiful as you," Yami countered, grinning as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly. Amane didn't contradict him, and she savored the kiss as she slid her arms around his neck to keep her from sliding away from him. She didn't want to be without him ever again, not when everything had been so dreary and horrible without him.

He had become her savior, and things had been going so well that Amane felt certain, deep within her soul, that they would be together forever, that they would spend the rest of their lives in each others arms, just like this.


	17. Revengeshipping (Seto x Alister)

**Author Notes** : Revengeshipping with BDSM, non-con, and uke!Seto, as requested! Also contains language, smut/lemon, violence, and Mokuba being kidnapped. Again.

* * *

"This is revenge, Kaiba." Alister's eyes narrowed at the bound CEO. "You need to pay for your company's crimes."

"It wasn't _my_ company back then," Kaiba spat savagely, fed up with this revenge nonsense. "You can't blame me for Gozaburo's crimes."

"Someone has to pay," Alister snapped back. "You're his heir, which makes you best suited to play the part."

"I'm not even _related_ to him!" Seto shouted furiously, earning him a hard slap across the face. Alister grabbed a fistful of the brunette's hair and forced his prisoner to face him.

"Someone has to pay," Alister repeated, emphasizing every word and gritting his teeth as his eyes blazed with hatred.

"I'm sure I have more than enough money to satisfy your demands," Kaiba commented in a cool voice, a smirk tweaking his lips.

 _That_ got him a face full of fist. The blow was hard enough that it knocked him to the floor, his head smashing into the thin carpeting that covered the floors inside his private jet. Seto wasn't just furious with Alister for getting revenge on Seto for Gozaburo's actions; he was also pissed at him for drugging him and Mokuba, cuffing his hands behind his back, locking his unconscious brother in a closet, and commandeering his personal plane.

"Don't be such a smart-ass with me!"

"Don't tell me what to do!"

Alister tried to kick Seto in the ribs, but he twisted out of the way. He may be handcuffed and wearing a suit, but he was still quite agile. The red-haired villain knelt beside his victim, grabbing him by his hair again and slamming the back of his head against the floor. An equally venomous sapphire gaze was turned upon the renegade duelist as mutual hatred burned between them.

"You know, Alister, kidnapping my little brother isn't a very original way to manipulate me." That damned smirk again. Two hands gripped the CEO's throat as tightly as possible.

"Do you have a death-wish? Do you even realize how _easy_ it would be for me to kill you and your brother without leaving any evidence?" He could kill them both, set the plane on a course to crash into the ocean, and escape before it crashed using a parachute. Simple as that.

"Of course I realize that you have the physical resources to do that," Kaiba snorted with disdain, despite his lack of air. "But that doesn't mean that you're _capable_ of doing it."

Doubt flickered in Alister's eyes, his grip loosening, encouraging Seto to continue.

"What would killing Mokuba and I accomplish? It would just be more lives lost because of Gozaburo Kaiba. Isn't that what you're angry about? So why would you add to the body count?"

A flicker of confusion in his captor's gaze made Kaiba feel victorious.

"Admit it: you look at Mokuba and you see your own little brother. You see your brother in _every_ child ever since you lost him. I know."

He was trying to get Alister to relate to him, because once he found Kaiba to be relatable, he wouldn't be capable of killing him.

"But do you really want to kill your little brother all over again? Do you really want to take away another child's chance at life?"

Alister shook his head in an attempt to dislodge Seto's words. "Shut up!" he screamed suddenly, his eyes watering as he slammed Kaiba's aching head into the floor again, further angering his victim. "Shut up, shut up! _Someone_ has to pay for Mikey's death! Someone has to pay…" His tears dripped onto Seto's white suit jacket, and he savagely wiped his cheeks. How in hell's name had this arrogant, stoic, cruel corporation president managed to bring him to tears? It didn't make any sense.

"Gozaburo has already paid for his crimes." His voice was low and surprisingly calm as Alister blinked at him tearfully. "I may be the current president of KaibaCorp, but make no mistake: I am not my step-father. I am the one who made the company stop producing weapons. I am the one who refused to profit off of war. I am innocent."

Alister squeezed his eyes shut and growled audibly as the Seal of Orichalcos flooded his mind with an overwhelming evil he couldn't resist. As Alister was distracted, Seto bent his legs and kicked his captor in the stomach hard enough to knock him back against the wall. He struggled to his feet and began to dash towards the cockpit, but Alister leapt on him from behind, causing them both to crash to the floor. Seto closed his eyes and turned his head as they fell, trying to minimize the damage his body took from this fight.

"You have to pay!" Alister yelled, full of conviction as he pounded his fists in Seto's back with full force. Undoubtedly, he was leaving bruises behind, but Kaiba wouldn't make any indication of his pain but the occasional grunt.

"Hurting me isn't going to bring your brother back," he pointed out sourly. This was one of the last things he wanted to be doing right now, right next to shagging Zigfried and having dinner with Pegasus. He was sick of these loonies coming after him.

"I know it won't bring him back, but I can still make you suffer as much as I did."

He was starting to get frustrated, though: nothing seemed to hurt the stoic CEO. It wasn't fair. He couldn't get any reaction from him but a snarky comment here and there. What could he do with the resources he had on hand that would cause Kaiba unspeakable pain? An idea finally came to him, and he grinned to himself, starting to look truly insane. He slipped the key to the handcuffs out of his pocket and unlocked them as subtly as he could. With lightning fast reflexes, he brought Seto's hands in front of himself and cuffed them again, before the brunette could even realize what was going on.

"The fuck?!" Kaiba exclaimed, quite sick of this whole altercation.

"Thank you for the invitation," Alister retorted coldly, climbing off of his victim enough to allow him to get to his hands and knees. Then Alister reached around the taller teen's waist and began to undo his belt and pants, adding in a cold voice, "If you try to fight me, I _will_ kill your little brother." Seto froze, making Alister laugh aloud. "It might be an unoriginal strategy, but it's effective nonetheless."

"You sick bastard," Kaiba growled as he glared at the floor. " _You_ will be the one paying for your crimes by the time I'm done with you."

"Beg me for mercy," Alister ordered as he stroked himself to a full erection.

"Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged."

"You wouldn't kill me, though. You already told me that you need my soul, and you certainly can't use it if you kill me." _Assuming that souls are even real,_ he added to himself.

Alister scowled and stood on his knees as he nudged Seto's legs further apart. He brushed himself between the CEO's legs, making him hiss. He couldn't tell if it was out of disgust or arousal.

"You'll be begging for mercy very soon."

"I doubt that. I don't beg." _Not anymore._

"I'll make you cry out in pain."

"I haven't cried since I was a child."

Alister was sick of talking. He seized Kaiba's hips and _shoved_.

Seto gasped and shuddered in pain, which only angered Alister further. Was this man made of stone? Bending over the brunette, he rammed into him again, hard. He continued relentlessly, the act filled with hatred and anger and pain on both sides.

Alister was wrong. _He_ was the one crying by the time he was done while Seto remained dry eyed, though he experienced much more physical pain. Some part of himself, way deep down where his true self was imprisoned by the Orichalcos, he was horrified by what he'd done. That part of himself was strong enough that it made him cry, even though it didn't make him stop.

"Revenge doesn't solve anything," Seto said quietly, his voice choked and hoarse. "I know. Trust me, I _know_."

"Shut up." Alister withdrew and slid to the floor beside Kaiba, who took the opportunity to ease himself to the floor as well so he could rest. Alister buried his face in his arms and started to sob while Seto carefully shifted to his back, wincing in pain.

"Revenge is not the way to move past losing your brother. You have to face the truth and accept it."

"How do _you_ know?" Alister asked, lifting his tearful face to look at the man he'd just raped.

"Because you're not the only one who's ever wanted revenge."

* * *

 **P.S.** I like to call this one-shot "Sex On A Plane." If it gets a sequel and moved to a separate story, that's what it'll be called.


	18. Riskshipping (Joey x Mokuba)

"Are you sure about this?" Joey asked, thoughtful brown eyes studying Mokuba's face carefully as the youth's lips curled into a pout.

" _Yes_ , I'm sure," Mokuba insisted, sneaking his hands to Joey's hips and pulling him closer, making Joey blush as he started to harden. Mokuba slipped his hands into the back pockets of Joey's jeans as the blond college student began to breathe a bit more shallowly. "I'm not a child anymore, Joey. I'm sixteen, and we've been dating for a whole _month_. I'm ready, and I know what I want."

"What about... your brother?" Joey asked hesitantly, his eyes already glazed over as he ran a hand through his boyfriend's luscious dark hair.

"He's away on business," Mokuba answered without a hint of concern. "He won't be home until tomorrow night."

"I should probably... go to the drugstore to get—"

"I already have condoms and lube in the nightstand," Mokuba answered, grinning mischievously a Joey's blush darkened. "I paid with cash and threw out the receipt in the store so that Seto couldn't trace the purchase."

"I love the way your mind works." Joey's hands cupped Mokuba's face as he threw caution to the wind and kissed him good and hard. Mokuba reciprocated eagerly, unashamed of the little moans and purrs he made as Joey's tongue thoroughly explored his mouth. Joey's hands slid from Mokuba's cheeks to comb into his hair and cup his head. He wanted to keep him close. He never wanted to let go.

Joey began to grind his hips against Mokuba's, and his young lover responded eagerly with the untutored jerks of inexperience. Joey guided him with his hands on his hips, moving slowly with far more skill than he'd had when he was Mokuba's age. His dark-haired lover was impatient, though, and started tugging at Joey's shirt, popping the buttons out of their holes so that he could find his nipples and pinched them simultaneously. Joey groaned and released Mokuba from the kiss. He panted for a few moments, catching his breath as they stood still.

"You're _sure_ this is what you want?" Joey asked, still feeling hesitant. He needed confirmation one last time before they passed the point of no return. Mokuba smiled coyly and stepped back for a moment. He unbound his hair from its ponytail, stripped off his shirt, and dropped his pants and boxers to the floor. Joey licked his lips as Mokuba stepped out of the fabric, kicking it out of the way with his foot. He approached Joey again, placing his hands on his cheeks and leaning close so that their lips were almost touching.

"Take me, Joey. Take me _now_."

* * *

Kaiba shrugged off his coat and hung it on the coat-rack to the side of the door, standing still for a moment before turning to further enter his home.

Home. It had taken a long time for this mansion to feel like a home to him, but it did now. It had taken a long time for him to grow into himself, but he felt like he finally had. An advanced intelligence in someone so young was sure to be as much a detriment as it was a benefit, but he'd never understood that before. Besides that, he'd physically grown rather quickly, reaching a significant height and wingspan prematurely. Adapting to those long limbs had taken longer than he would have expected.

Awkward teen years now behind him, he was now calmer than he used to be. Not calm, per se, but calm _er_. Fits of temper had become infrequent, almost extinct, and his company was breaking records for revenue and stock prices. He had regrets, but he'd never been the kind of person to wallow in the past. The last thing he needed was to throw a pity party for himself to celebrate his past disappointments, frustrations, and failures. Like a fine wine, he'd mellowed and matured with age, and he suspected that he had yet to reach his prime.

He was tired all the time, though, which he only partially understood. He had a stressful job and still traveled too much, and jet lag took its fair toll on him. He couldn't be home as often as he liked, which seemed to be hurting his relationship with Mokuba. His little brother had been home-schooled through middle school, and then Seto had caved to his pleas to be put into a "normal high school." Mokuba had a generous heart and an open spirit, both of which required constant human interaction. He wanted friends his age. He didn't want to remain in Seto's isolated ivory tower, and his elder brother had chosen to respect that request. And though it might have been better for him intellectually and academically, Kaiba hadn't sent Mokuba to a private or boarding school. For one thing, he didn't want Mokuba so far away for so long. For another, Mokuba had requested a "normal" school.

Kaiba's relationship with his brother had morphed over time, and now that Mokuba was sixteen, he was going through a rebellious phase that his brother didn't know how to handle. Seto had been rather lenient with him, not wanting to push the boundaries of his loyalty.

Seto and Mokuba had loved each other their whole lives, and that love would never be broken, no matter how much they were pressured by outside forces to forsake each other. Just because they loved each other, though, didn't mean that they knew how to communicate with each other. Conversation was always brief and uneasy between them now that Mokuba was almost an adult.

Had they ever really known how to talk to each other?

Kaiba turned with slow steady steps towards his brother's room. It wasn't so late that he would be asleep. Seto hadn't told his brother that he was coming home early; he'd wanted to surprise him. Seto was still trying to reach out to him, to build a stronger connection. They were so wildly different that Seto couldn't help but wonder if they were even blood-relatives at all, if they hadn't simply latched onto each other when they arrived separately at the orphanage and decided to be brothers.

Were they related at all?

When Kaiba reached his brother's bedroom door, his hand raised to rap his knuckles against the wood, but froze when he heard sounds that he'd hoped he'd never personally hear from that room. And good God, was that Joey's voice calling out his baby brother's nickname? And that was Mokuba's voice screaming back with an answering cry. Seto closed his eyes for a second, then turned around to return to his own bedroom.

Why did he always feel so damned tired these days?

He'd had half a mind to call the police and have Joey arrested for statutory rape, but he knew that if he did that, Mokuba would hate him forever. His brother had asked him to stop treating him like a child, so he would. Mokuba was old enough to make decisions for himself, and if he had regrets afterwards, he would only have himself to blame.

Seto went straight to bed, and though he was tired, he couldn't sleep as easily as he would have wished. His mind wouldn't turn off, it never turned off for him. He could never stop thinking, worrying, planning stressing, analyzing. All of the things that he was good at, because he never stopped. He didn't want to work right now, though. He didn't want to do anything but sleep, but those ungodly sounds from his brother's room still echoed in his ears as if they were right next door instead of across the hall. He clamped a pillow down over his head as if that would help.

It didn't.

When Kaiba saw them together the next morning in rumpled sleepwear and with tousled hair, they'd both been startled, looking so frightened that you'd think they expected Kaiba to go after Joey with a gun. Kaiba'd hardly spared a second to look at them as he passed the pair on his way out the door.

"I don't care what you do together so long as no one gets hurt." Then he was gone, front door closed firmly behind him.

He'd left, and while Joey was relieved, Mokuba didn't know what to think.

"I told ya that he'd be cool with it," Joey said warmly, putting an arm around the teen's waist and pecking his cheek affectionately.

"I expected him to be angry." The raven-haired youth let Joey embrace him, resting his head against the blond's shoulder. "I think... I would have preferred it if he'd been angry."

"Why would you want him to be mad at you?" This puzzled Joey immensely, since his own father's temper had inspired much fear in him when he was younger.

"Because when he's mad," Mokuba answered softly, looping his arms around Joey's waist. "It means that he cares. He's never not cared before."

"Maybe he's just respecting the fact that you're growing up."

"He didn't even slam the door."

* * *

 **Author Notes** : So, in case you didn't figure it out, Kaiba's depressed in this story, but he doesn't really know it himself, he just sees the symptoms, but doesn't know the diagnosis. His life sucks but Mokuba's happy. Very happy. With Joey. Yeah... Consider this story a cautionary tale about the warning signs of depression; that's probably the only reason I even finished it.

Originally, this was shaping up to be a much longer, complicated story involving Kaiba faking suicide, disappearing abroad for a few years, then him sending an unmarked letter to Mokuba so that if Mokuba wanted him back, he would have the means to track him down. Mokuba and Joey would then report him to the police as missing instead of dead, and then they'd binge all the security footage of him that they'd found. Joey would then fly to America to confront him alone, and they'd get in a fistfight, and Joey would meet Kaiba's girlfriend (a sharp-shooting law student) and Kaiba would have a tattoo and things would be really different, and Seto and Mokuba would be reconciled in the end, but with the grief and depression it was just way too depressing for me. So, rest assured, this one-shot will _remain_ a one-shot.


	19. Silentshipping (Seto x Serenity)

**Author Notes:** Silentshipping as requested. Some fluffy stuff with minor angst. Rated T. Enjoy, and feel free to make a request of your own in a review or PM!

* * *

He should have fallen asleep by now. There was no reason for him to still be awake, unless his insomnia was making some sort of comeback. He looked down at the female form beside him in bed, her strawberry hair sprawled across the pillow as she slept peacefully, so peacefully… he envied her. She was so ignorant of life's pain and the true horrors that existed even within her own city. How else could she sleep so peacefully?

But he, he knew things that could drive a man insane with grief, things that would give his little angel nightmares and forever destroy her peace of mind.

Like the fact that he'd intended on using her from the beginning, that he had never felt anything for her until now, and he wasn't even sure of that. He never would have thought to do so if she hadn't come to him when he was alone and expressed a naive gratitude to him for making sure Bakura was cared for by his doctors.

"I knew you would make sure he was alright," she'd said. "I knew that deep down, you really did care."

He hadn't, and he still didn't. He'd sent his doctors to the teen because he didn't want his company to be sued and because that's what the doctors were paid to do. Besides, he wanted the dork patrol off his back, and that was the only way they would leave him alone.

She had come to him, so terribly vulnerable, and he had pounced on the opportunity to spite that blond mutt before he even stopped to think too hard about it. His plan had worked: Serenity was still incredibly gullible about the goodness she believed to exist in the world, and Joey was furious with Kaiba for hooking up with his little sister, but now Seto was starting to have doubts.

Why did it matter to him that he'd soiled his pure angel with his selfish, cruel intentions? There was a time when such a thing wouldn't make him so much as bat an eye, but now… She was changing him. That was the only reasonable answer. He hadn't thought that he could be changed. He didn't know if he wanted to change. He didn't know if he _liked_ that she was changing him.

Guilt was an uncomfortable emotion to deal with, for one thing, for now that he'd used her, he knew that he owed her the truth. But to tell her the truth would break her fragile heart and spoil the tranquility that emanated from some mysterious source deep within her.

How could he tell her that he'd been lying to her without remorse this long?

But how could he not?

She deserved the truth, but it made him too uncomfortable to think about telling her. Besides, if she knew the truth, she would leave, and he didn't want that.

It was hard to admit as much even to himself: he didn't want her to leave. More aptly, he wanted her to stay.

If he didn't tell her, perhaps he could make it up to her with another truths, something that made him, for just a few moments, as vulnerable in front of her as she was with him all the time.

Maybe he'd tell her the truth some time in the distant future, if she stuck around long enough, that is. He still couldn't understand why she'd fallen for him at all. It wasn't just the fact that he'd manipulated her with a false charm. It wasn't just the fact that she thought him to be a far better man than he really was. There was something else going on, there had to be.

He was awake all night long, still pondering this conundrum when she awoke.

"Hm, Seto?" Her sleep-heavy eyelids lifted just enough for her hazel eyes to identify his half-sitting figure. "Why are you awake?" she yawned, and he found himself smiling ever so slightly as he watched her.

"Couldn't sleep," he answered quietly, letting one hand fall to the pillow to stroke her hair. "You should, though. You still have time."

"Is something bothering you?" she asked, that look of genuine concern fixed on him so potently that he felt like she could read all of his lies before he even spoke them.

"No, I'm fine. Go back to sleep, Serenity."

For once, though, she didn't seem content to do as he said. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and studied his face more closely in the semi-darkness.

"If you're awake, then something's bothering you," she said, so smoothly, so calmly. How was she always so calm? "Tell me, what is it?" She took his hand in hers, pressing his knuckles to her lips in an intimate gesture that just made him feel worse. Now, now was the chance for him to be vulnerable. What better time to do so than now, when they were guaranteed to have no witnesses to his weakness?

"I was thinking about… Gozaburo," he answered softly.

"What about him?" she persisted, worried about him.

"He was not a kind man."

She thought that over for a few moments.

"What do you mean by that?" She was seeking to understand him, and while it was an admirable trait of hers, it was hurting him now. It was only his own fault, though: he wouldn't be telling her anything if he didn't feel guilty for using her.

"He was cruel." The answer was accurate. "I know your brother thinks of me as a rich spoiled brat, but only part of that is true. I most certainly wasn't spoiled as a child."

Serenity sat up now, raising a hand and running her fingers through his hair as she leaned in closer against him. Her silence bothered him, her pity tangible and sickening.

"I'm fine now, though," he said quickly, swallowing hard as something made his pulse quicken. He was nervous. When was the last time he'd been nervous?

"Thank you for telling me," she said simply, kissing him tenderly as she caressed his face with both of her hands. It still wasn't good enough for him, though. He placed his hands over hers and gently drew her hands away from his face as he broke the kiss, pressing her hands together between his own.

"You don't get it." Why did it matter so much to him that she knew the full truth about this, at least? Nothing about his own emotions was making sense to him right now. "When I was young, he would… I mean, I could never… He would always…" He swallowed hard. Why couldn't he get the words out? Why was his heart pounding so fast? He pressed his forehead against hers as he struggle push the words out of his mind and to his mouth. A single, solitary tear drop, fell from his eye before he could stop it, and it splattered onto her cheek.

"It's _okay,_ Seto," she murmured, kissing him again. "I understand." The warmth in her voice was too good for someone as corrupted as him, but it was so genuine and pure that he couldn't help but gravitate towards it like a moth to a flame.

"You do?" he asked faintly in disbelief.

"I do." She kissed him again, deeply, sweetly, until he moaned and wrapped an arm around her, shifting her closer to himself, craving more.


	20. Softshipping (Ryou x Serenity)

**Author Notes:** My hiatus has come to an end! Yay! Softshipping as requested. No smut, just pure, unadulterated fluff! =D

* * *

"How about over here, Serenity?" Mrs. Wheeler led her daughter into upscale clothing store, Serenity sighing as she followed several feet behind.

"I don't really _want_ to go to prom, Mom," she protested half-heartedly, knowing that it was completely futile by now to tell her mother no. She seemed determined that her daughter would go, convinced that she'd enjoy it once she got there.

"Nonsense, dear," her mother said with a wave of her hand, not even turning around as her daughter trailed after her towards the formalwear section. "All of your friends are going. You'll like it. There's dancing and food…"

"All of my friends actually have dates," Serenity muttered under her breath, too low for her mother to hear. Her mother already knew that she lacked an escort, of course, but she'd said that was normal. Not everybody who went to prom had a date, and she wouldn't stand out for attending alone. What her mother didn't seem to understand was that Serenity would feel left out when all of her friends went off to slow-dance with their dates and she'd be left standing alone on the sidelines.

As her mother went off and started plucking dresses off the racks, Serenity watched with a feeling of helplessness. At least this store seemed closer to the kinds of things she would wear, not that she'd ever worn a formal dress before, but they looked like things she'd be willing to try on. This store was classier too. Instead of playing obnoxious pop music, there was a real piano somewhere in the store, where beautiful melodies tinkled out.

"Oh, hey, you're Joey's sister, right?"

Serenity turned around and smiled to see one of Joey's friends sitting at the piano several meters away. She walked over to him with a sense of relief, grateful for a distraction.

"Yeah. You're Bakura, right?"

"Yeah." He seemed pleased that she'd remembered him, even though he'd spent the vast majority of the Battle City finals stuck in the Shadow Realm. He continued to play the grand piano effortlessly. "So, Serenity, what brings you here today?" he asked casually, looking genuinely interested.

"My mom and I are shopping for a prom dress," she admitted, wilting a little. "But I keep trying to tell her that I don't want to go."

"Why don't you want to go?" he asked curiously as she wondered how he could just keep playing without any sheet music before him.

"It'll probably be lame anyways," she said with a shrug, feeling embarrassed. "I'm always awkward at these sorts of things."

"You could always go with friends," he suggested, pretending that he wasn't a hypocrite for deciding not to go to his own prom for the very same reason.

"My friends all have dates," she informed him, looking down at her hands.

"Oh." That wasn't quite the same for him, but enough of his friends had dates that he could sympathize. "Would you like to go together then?"

She stared at him with wide eyes, too surprised to speak at first. "Do you really mean that?"

"Serenity Wheeler, would you do me the honor of going to prom and being awkward with me?" With those sweet doe eyes turned on her, his voice smooth with sincerity, she didn't know how to turn them down.

"I'd love to." She blushed, and he grinned at her, pleased with her answer.

"It's this Friday, right?"

"Yeah, at eight."

"I'll pick you up at seven-thirty."

"Sounds good."

"Then it's a date." Ryou's grin made Serenity's blush deepen from rose to rouge, and she didn't think she could remember the last time a guy—besides her brother—seemed so happy to be with her. Sure, Duke and Tristan had flirted with her during Battle City, but she saw it more as a competition between the two than a genuine pursuit of _her_. Besides, her brother would be furious if she went on a date with either of them.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Serenity, dear, I have some dresses for you to try on!" Serenity held her breath as she turned around and saw that her mother was carrying maybe ten dresses in her arms.

"Oh, thanks Mom," she replied as her mother glanced around.

"Excuse me, young man, can you please tell me where the changing rooms are?"

"He has a _name_ , Mom," Serenity grumbled, but Ryou seemed unfazed.

"At the back of the store, in the left-hand corner," he answered with an easy smile. "You'll need to ask one of the sales associates to open it for you."

"Thank you." With that, she started to stride away, Serenity sighing as she watched her mother go.

"How am I supposed to choose a dress out of all those?" she despaired. Ryou finished the piece and leaned over a little to look at the multi-colored clumps of fabric.

"The pink one," he said decisively.

"Do you like pink?" she asked, a little curious and a little amused.

"I think _you_ like pink," he answered diplomatically, giving her a wink as his fingers began to play a new tune on the ivory keys.

* * *

When Ryou appeared on her front step to pick her up for prom, she was impressed. He had his long white hair neatly tied back into a low ponytail and a pink silk tie that matched her dress perfectly.

"You look beautiful." Ryou was blushing as he complimented Serenity, who blushed even more than him in response. She'd gone with the pink dress he'd recommended to her, finding that she did indeed like it better than the others her mother had picked out. It made her look like a ballerina, with the pale rose tulle skirt falling a little below her knees and an off-white fitted satin bodice held up by thin straps. She had neutral-colored flats tied with ribbons up her shins. Her strawberry hair was curled and gathered into a low side-bun and dotted pearl bobby-pins that matched her pearl necklace and earrings.

"Thank you, so do you," she replied without thinking, then immediately felt embarrassed. "I-I mean—"

"It's okay," Ryou assured as he chuckled. "Thank you."

"Before you go, I want to get pictures of you two together," Mrs. Wheeler called from somewhere inside. "Just let me get my camera!"

Ryou and Serenity stood together as her mother photographed them to her heart's content.

"Alright, now go have fun you two. But not too much fun!" she instructed, making Serenity want to sink into the sidewalk where she could hide how red her face was turning. "I want you to bring her home no later than 11:30."

"I will, ma'am," Ryou promised, standing tall and remain calm even as Serenity seemed consumed with nervousness. Her school was only a couple blocks away, so they were just going to walk. Besides, Ryou didn't have a car. He had to take the train into town and then walk to the store where he worked. Walking the two blocks gave them time to talk.

"So, how come we didn't go to your own prom?" Serenity asked curiously, her hand tucked inside the crook of his elbow as he escorted her properly, just like a gentleman.

"Well, I hadn't really planned on going to prom," Ryou admitted sheepishly. "Besides, I'm fairly certain that your brother would murder me if he saw that we were going to prom together."

He'd exagerated on purpose and was pleased when his date laughed as a result.

"Oh, of course, how could I forget!" She giggled again and added, "Joey's overprotective like that, but I appreciate it. I don't think he'd _actually_ hurt you."

"I don't know," Ryou teased. "You weren't there when Joey found out that Tristan broke his iPod."

"Did they fight?"

"They fight all the time, but they're still friends no matter what." He grinned at her. "Joey's a good guy like that. He never stays angry unless you've done something truly terrible."

"Like calling him a chihuahua?" she asked cheekily, making him laugh too.

"Yeah, or calling him a monkey or a mutt," Ryou added. "Kaiba's one of the few people that gets Joey _really_ angry. Still, I don't want to be around when he finds out that we went on a date."

Serenity felt butterflies in her stomach at that comment. So this _was_ a date. That fact made her feel ridiculously pleased with herself. "If we're both there when he's told, I'll protect you."

"Oh, how kind of you. Maybe you can take me to the hospital afterwards, too."

She was sent into another fit of giggles, and by the time she'd recovered herself, they'd arrived at the prom. They entered and ended up doing exactly what Ryou'd invited her to do: be awkward with her at prom. They chatted while standing in a corner as they sipped their punch, but when Ryou went to get them refills, he came back empty-handed.

"Bad news," he said to her, standing close so that she could hear him over the loud music. "Somebody's spiked the punch."

She sighed in disappointment, her shoulders drooping a little. They were silent for maybe half a minute.

"We don't have to stay if you want to, you know," Ryou said. Serenity looked uncomfortable and unhappy, and he wanted to change that if he could. "Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Like where?"

"The middle school is just a block over, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Do you like swings?"

"Swings?" Her pink lips twitched into a small smile. "Yeah, I like swings."

"Then let's go to the playground at the middle-school." He offered her his hand, and she took it. He led her out of the building, taking them back the way they'd come up until Serenity pointed out a less-crowded shortcut and they took a different exit in order to escape. Once out in the night air, Serenity shivered. It had gotten colder as it got darker, and she hadn't brought a shawl with her.

"Are you cold? Would you like to borrow my jacket?" Ryou offered immediately, having noticed her shiver. Serenity, not knowing how to turn him down, accepted the offer and let him help her put it on. It was warm from absorbing his body heat and it smelled like his cologne. She deeply inhaled the scent, pleased by it. She took his hand again and guided him in the right direction.

"I don't usually go to school dances," Ryou admitted.

"Me neither."

"There's usually too many people, and I don't know ninety-five percent of them. It's too… loud."

"The last time I went to a school dance, I got a headache from the noise." She glanced over at his relaxed, almost sad expression.

"Me too. It's just so overwhelming."

"Exactly. My mom never understands. She thinks that I'm just trying to be a hermit and stay at home, but I don't have a problem with getting out of the house if I'm going somewhere I enjoy with friends."

"It must be nice," he said suddenly, glancing up at her with his sad brown eyes.

"What is?"

"Having a mom."

Serenity didn't know what to say to that, so she looked away. They were coming up to the middle school, and they stopped talking as they went up to the playground, going straight for the swings. They sat on the swings side by side and as Serenity started to kick her legs, Ryou remained relatively still, stirring his foot in the mulch beneath them.

"What does your dad do?" she asked, wanting to know more about him and his family now that she realized she knew nothing.

"He's an archaeologist," Ryou answered, lifting his head up a little. "He has PhDs in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern studies."

"That's so cool," she enthused, wanting to sound as cheerful as possible. She wanted to get him to smile again.

"I always thought so." He smiled a little as he recalled his childhood. "He would always bring back gifts from his trips." When he stopped speaking, Serenity looked at him again, slowing her swinging as she noticed that he had his hand pressed to the center of his chest. She could just barely make out the outline of the Millennium Ring underneath his shirt. She wouldn't have noticed it otherwise.

"Was the… Millennium Ring one of those gifts?" she asked softly as her swing came to a gradual stop beside him.

"Yeah." He dropped his hand with a sigh. "That's one present I could have done without."

"Does your dad travel a lot?"

"Most of the time, he's at an archaeological dig or consulting with his colleagues abroad. He's not usually home for more than a few days at a time before he leaves again."

"So… you basically live alone?" Serenity could feel her throat close over as tears came to her eyes. He looked up, hearing the sadness in her voice, and smiled bitterly.

"Don't cry for me, Serenity," he said softly, reaching out to her so that they could hold hands again. "I'm fine."

She blinked rapidly, trying to comply with his request and prevent her tears from falling. "Are you sure?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" He grinned at her crookedly, then dropped her hand. "I bet I can swing higher than you!"

They stuck around the playground for over an hour, playing on the swings, the slide, the monkey-bars, and everything else. They talked about family, friends, childhood, and the struggles of being an introvert. They talked about loss and grief and carrying on. They even slow-danced to music from Ryou's iPod, and by that time Serenity felt warm enough to take off Ryou's jacket. Around eleven o'clock, Serenity was quite tired, and Ryou started to walk her home.

"Are you busy next weekend?" Ryou asked a little nervously as they neared her home.

"I don't have any plans."

"Would you maybe like to go out again on Saturday?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"I would like that very much." Ryou sighed with relief. "What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we could go to the library together and be less awkward than we were tonight."

"I don't usually read at the library. Normally I…" She hesitated, then admitted, "I usually go to a furniture store with my books after I go to the library and find the comfiest couch and read there."

"That sounds like fun." Ryou wasn't humoring her or being sarcastic. He was being genuine with her, and she liked that about him. "Does noon work for you?"

"Yes, that should be fine."

At her doorstep now, they came to a stop and turned to face each other. Ryou didn't really want to leave, but he knew that he had to.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," she said, trying to fill the silence.

"Me too." Ryou hesitated, unsure of himself, then leaned in and gave her cheek a quick kiss. "Goodnight." He turned and started walking away, his face burning as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Goodnight!" she called after him, wishing that he would turn around and smile at her one last time. She sighed wistfully as she went inside, giddy with the pleasure of her first kiss.

* * *

"Oh cool, Serenity sent me a picture of her prom dress!" Tea exclaimed as their group of friends played Duel Monsters before class the following Wednesday. Ryou looked up from the ground he'd been staring at absent-mindedly while Joey and Yugi dueled. Tea knew that he had gone to prom with Serenity, since Ryou'd asked Tea to help him get a suit last-minute. She knew more about clothes than anybody else he'd known, and he'd hoped that he could count on her to keep it a secret.

"Hey, lemme see!" Joey said, springing excitedly out of his chair to look over Tea's shoulder at her phone. She tried to hold it out of his reach, protesting about him being rude and obnoxious while Ryou started to take subtle steps backwards, towards the door to the classroom. Joey was taller than Tea, though, and his arms were longer, so it didn't take long for him to take tea's phone from her hand and see the screen. Serenity had texted one of her mother's pictures to Tea, so Ryou was in the picture with her.

"Grrr, Ryou!" Joey looked up at his friend, looking outraged. He dropped Tea's phone, which she barely caught, as Joey lunged towards Ryou and Ryou dashed towards the door.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, rather confused.

"Ryou took Serenity to prom," Tea, explained with a giggle, showing the picture to Yugi, Duke, and Tristan.

They could hear Joey shouting, as he chased Ryou down the hallway, "Nobody dates my little sister and gets away with it!"


	21. Vividshipping (Yugi x Kisara)

**Author Notes:** Vividshipping as requested! Yugi and Kisara are just two horny teenagers who finally get the house to themselves. ;) Please review, and if you like what I've written, please request a one-shot for your favorite shipping!

* * *

"What did you think of the movie?" Yugi asked as he and Kisara walked hand in hand out of the movie theater and onto the sidewalk.

"I thought it was well done," she answered thoughtfully. "The casting and the plot were good, even if some of the lines were really cheesy. But the again, what movie _doesn't_ have a few cheesy lines here and there?" She giggled and reached down to hold Yugi's hand as they started walking toward where Yugi had parked his car.

"You said your parents are out of town, right?" he asked as he unlocked his car and cast her a sly look. A slow grin spread on Kisara's face.

"Yep. They're not coming home till tomorrow night," she answered. She didn't need to be a psychic to know what was on Yugi's mind.

Yugi drove them to Kisara's house and parked on the street before walking her inside. Once inside, she made the first move. Before he could say anything, she'd grabbed him by the front of his shirt and was kissing him hard. Yugi responded with equal passion and fervor, sliding his tongue between her parted lips. He took control when he pushed her back a bit and pinned her between himself and her front door, a move that both excited and amused her. She put her arms around his neck and broke the kiss, resting her head against his as she caught her breath.

"How about we move this upstairs?" she proposed, and Yugi nodded, taking her hand as they went upstairs together. It was small wonder that they were both so eager for intimacy. With Yugi's grandfather always home and Kisara's parents often home as well, it was hard to find an opportunity to be alone together. Besides that, driving out beyond the city limits to the middle of nowhere and doing it in Yugi's car wasn't always comfortable. Now, though, Kisara's parents _were_ out of town, and since she was an only child, they didn't have any obnoxious little brothers or bratty little sisters to interrupt them.

While she locked her door, Yugi shed his jacket and shoes. She quickly did the same, both of them depositing their clothes on the floor before their bodies collided again. Kisara pulled up Yugi's black tank top while he worked at undoing the buttons of her blouse. He pushed her light blue shirt off her shoulders and onto the floor, and the next moment, she was pulling his tank off over his head. Their lips clashed again as she removed his belt and he pushed down her skirt so that it fell to her ankles. His hands caressed her body as she guided them both in a stumbling sort of dance over to her bed. That was when she pushed Yugi down onto it and stripped away his pants, socks, and boxers.

"No fair," Yugi panted, sitting up and placing his hands on her hips to pull her closer as he started to kiss her smooth stomach. She sighed softly and let her fingers tangle into his multicolored hair as his lips fluttered across her soft skin. His thumbs wiggled underneath the waistband of her panties and freed her of them, making her gasp as cool air greeted her sensitive parts. She released his hair and put her hands on his shoulders, pushing him back a little.

"I want to try something new," Kisara murmured, her blue eyes twinkling.

"What did you have in mind?" Yugi asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Lie down on your back."

As Yugi complied, Kisara stripped off her bra and picked up Yugi's jeans, reaching her hand inside his pocket. She returned with the little foil package and tore it open with her teeth. She climbed onto the bed, straddling his thighs as she rolled the rubber ring onto his member with practiced ease. Yugi blushed and panted softly as he watched her, reaching up to cup her breasts and brush the pads of his thumbs over her hard nipples. He groaned as Kisara slowly lowered herself over his manhood. He bit his lip to keep himself from trying to take control from her. She leaned down to kiss him once before she began to grind against him in a slow, smooth rhythm.

Yes, they were sneaking around behind her parents' backs by doing this, but that was what teenagers did. When they fell in love, the fell hard, and there was nothing in the world that could keep them apart.


	22. Wishshipping (Yugi x Joey)

**Author Notes:** Rated T. Written as requested: some Wishshipping fluff. If you like what you read, please request a shipping one-shot in the reviews or via PM. I'll do almost anything, and it keeps me from writing the same stuff over and over again, so if there's a YGO shipping you can't find a decent fic for, I'm your gal. :D

* * *

"Come on, kid, no need to run. I'm not gonna hurt ya, if you give me your lunch money." It was clear from his tone and menacing approach that the bully was lying. Yugi ran, but he wasn't fast enough, and ended up cornered in a dead-end alley. A few punches, and he was on the ground. He had his arms wrapped around his head, eyes squeezed shut as he braced himself for what he knew was coming.

"Hey, punk!" shouted an angry voice. "Pick on someone your own size, why don'tchya?" Yugi kept his eyes closed and remained in the fetal position until he knew it was safe and Joey had lain a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Hey pal, are you alright?" he asked softly.

Yugi's violet eyes finally opened and he moved his arms from around his head to blink up at his friend.

"Looks like he hit you pretty badly there," Joey commented sympathetically, reaching out and scooping Yugi up into his arms. "Come on, I'm taking you home to get some ice on that."

"I'm fine," Yugi protested with futility.

"Your face is already starting to turn purple," Joey pointed out as he began to carry him out of the alley. He frowned as he gazed down at his best friend with pity.

"What about your bruises, Joey?" Yugi asked softly, his eyes watering a little. "Your dad hasn't stopped drinking." That was all he needed to say for them both to understand what he meant. Joey took a deep breath and brushed it off.

"That's why we're going to your place, Yug," he answered, and they both fell silent. Joey carried him all the rest of the way.

* * *

"Here you go, one peanut butter and jelly sandwich and one ice-pack," Joey said cheerfully as he handed them both to Yugi. He'd insisted his boyfriend lay down on the couch while he made lunch for them. He sat down beside Yugi with a sandwich of his own, watching the shorter teen press the ice pack to his swelling eye.

"Thank you, Joey," Yugi said with a smile. "But won't we have to go back to school for afternoon classes?"

"Well, you're hurt, and so am I, so we're in no state to be at school anyways," Joey said in his blustery, light-hearted way that always made Yugi laugh.

"I'm not helpless, you know," Yugi said as he sat up on the couch. "I just don't like violence."

"If you don't fight back against your bullies, how will they ever leave you alone?" Joey countered before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"But you never fight back against your dad," Yugi pointed out, shifting over to sit next to the breezy blond.

"That's different," Joey muttered, glancing away as he set his jaw stubbornly. Yugi knew that look. It was a warning sign that he was on dangerous territory and that he should tread lightly.

"I just mean that you know what it's like _not_ to fight back," Yugi said carefully. "You have your reasons and I have mine." Joey sighed and rested his cheek on the top of Yugi's head, and his baby panda nuzzled against him understandingly.

"Yugi…" Joey breathed out, a desperate edge to his voice that always made Yugi's heart twinge. Joey hated thinking about his abusive, alcoholic father, hated when Yugi tried to talk about the alternatives. Joey would rather toughen up and just survive what he knew rather than take a risk and end up even worse off than before.

Yugi got up on his knees as he turned to face Joey, taking his face in his hands and kissing his forehead tenderly, letting his lips trail down the sides of Joey's face until their lips met. They kissed slowly, tenderly, and it tasted of peanut butter. Yugi dropped his hands to Joey's shoulders, holding him gently in case there were more bruises he didn't know about. Joey's hands slid under Yugi's shirt, tenderly feeling his abdomen and chest, knowing from experience where the new bruises were forming just by touching his skin.

Soon they were both shirtless, a pair of pale, bruised, urban angels who'd found refuge in each other's arms. Lovers, best friends, partners, classmates. They didn't go too far, though. It was only midday, and they were both still hungry for lunch, which they ate while Yugi sat in Joey's lap. They were both grateful that Yugi's grandfather had no problem with their relationship, and that he was working in the game shop for the rest of the afternoon, which meant that they got some privacy.

"You don't ice your bruises, do you?" Yugi asked as he traced his fingers around the green and purple bruises on Joey's body.

"I don't have the time at home," Joey answered with a sigh, bringing Yugi's other hand to his lips.

"You have time to do so right now," Yugi pointed out with a sneaky smile, but Joey just frowned.

"But I want to be with you," Joey whined, his big brown puppy eyes softening Yugi, but not changing his mind.

"I _will_ be here with you, doing my homework."

Joey groaned as his head dropped back. "Ah, Yug, homework? Now?" he complained.

"If we don't do it this afternoon, we'll have to do it this evening," Yugi pointed out mischievously. "And I know you don't want to do it this evening."

"But our backpacks are still at school," Joey pointed out. "Oh well!" He leaned in to kiss Yugi deeply, and when he came up for a breath, the air was filled with the sound of Yugi's happy laughter.


	23. Witshipping (Witty Phantom x Seto)

**Author Notes:** Seto Kaiba x Witty Phantom with non-con bondage and uke!Seto, as requested by LadyKaiba27! ^_^ Enjoy this smutfest of a one-shot!

[UPDATE: I just got this name officiated on the Yugioh DM Shipping List on Tumblr! The former name for this shipping was Hostageshipping, but that's a popular Yugioh 5Ds ship name, so my new one got accepted.]

* * *

When Seto woke up, he felt disoriented. He blinked a few times and lifted his head, sensation returning to his body as he tried to recall what had happened to him. Why was he strapped by the arms to a crucifix? Where was he? How was he going to escape? He began to fight his bonds, trying to escape, but a smug, sadistic giggle interrupted him.

"My, my, if it isn't the great Seto Kaiba!" the eerie, unnatural voice exclaimed, emanating from the Witty Phantom several feet ahead of him. He bowed with a flourish and said, "How might I be of service to my creator?"

"Get me down from here," Seto snapped. None of this was supposed to happen, and he was severely pissed off because he still didn't know what had gone wrong to cause all of this.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," the Phantom quipped.

"What?!" Seto's eyes burned into the purple-clad Duel Monster.

"I answer to a power higher than you." He was clearly enjoying this.

"That's impossible." Seto glowered at the creature as he straightened up.

"Nothing's impossible." He winked at the teen and sauntered closer. "Is there any other way that I may… service you?" he asked, his gaze dropping meaningfully to Seto's crotch as he licked his lips.

"Hell. No." Seto's rejection couldn't be plainer, but the Witty Phantom didn't seem keen on listening.

"I don't believe you mean that," he crooned as he stepped forward, his eyes studying Seto's body in a way that made him feel uncomfortable.

"I believe that I mean it, and that's what matters, so you should get the fuck away from me," Seto snarled. He was tied to a stone slab with that creature staring at him like he was a piece of lunch meat. He felt vulnerable, and he was compensating for that with aggression.

"I am not going to let my creator be lonely, now am I?" he teased.

"I am _not_ lonely!" the brunette snapped. He wouldn't let the Phantom have the satisfaction of him admitting to that.

The Witty Phantom lifted his eyes to meet Seto's as he pressed himself to the CEO's body. Immediately, Seto tried to kick him away, but his ankles were strapped to the stone cross before he could move very much at all. He fought his binds with all of his strength, but it was useless.

"You obviously weren't one of my most inspired creations," Seto growled, his face filling with color as the Phantom knelt before him. "But I don't remember programming you to be so sexual. This is a children's game, after all."

"Not anymore, it isn't." The Phantom's hand reached up to caress Seto's manhood through the fabric, making him grunt and flush as the stimulation began to affect him. "This game is no longer accepted by the ESRB, I'm afraid."

Seto huffed in annoyance, trying to hide his need behind his arrogance. "And whose fault is that?" he demanded, shouting louder than he'd intended to as the Phantom started to unzip his prisoner's bulging pants.

"I do believe that you'll be able to enjoy this better if you stop talking." The Phantom stood and kissed Seto then. The brunette tried to twist his head away from the other's, but a hand came up and gripped him below his jawline, holding him firmly and painfully in place as the creature's shockingly long tongue invaded his mouth and tickled the back of his throat. Seto choked, and the Phantom, in response, pulled back a bit, much to his creator's relief.

Seto was panting faintly as he licked his lips and grumbled, "I don't remember programming _that_ either."

The Witty Phantom's long tongue flicked out to catch a strand of saliva at the corner of Seto's mouth before he replied, "My masters have made some alterations so that I can keep you… entertained while you're here."

"I'm your only master," Seto retorted. The Phantom used one hand to firmly rub his victim's confined erection, making the young CEO groan. He tried to stifle the sound, but that just made it sound more like a whimper, much to his own horror.

"Given our current position," the Duel Monster observed contemplatively, still stroking the brunette, "I would say that it's rather the other way around: I am _your_ master!" He cackled in amusement and triumph, Seto's face turning red with anger, embarrassment, and arousal.

"I serve no man but myself," he spat, then grunted as his pants and briefs were shoved down to his knees, his hard member springing free.

"Really? Because you seem pretty happy serving me right now, if I do say so myself." He chuckled again, really starting to test Seto's patience.

"I am _not_ enjoying being bound and molested by an inhuman creature, if that's what you're insinuating!" he yelled. He gasped almost immediately afterward as he was smacked across the face with an open palm.

"You dare speak to your master like that?" the Phantom hissed with a nastiness to match Kaiba's. "I'll have to punish you for your attitude." He removed the bindings from Kaiba's ankles and bared his lower half entirely before lifting those long legs and hooking Kaiba's knees over his shoulders. "I was going to give _you_ pleasure, but I think I'll please myself instead."

Kaiba started to struggled in panic, but the Phantom held him down and bit his neck hard, his fangs piercing the skin and injecting a hot venom that sent true terror into his victim. He didn't know what its effects were, what it would do to him. It scared him stiff. His heart was racing, his breathing shallow as the two of them stood still, bodies entangled as the toxin was pumped through Seto's system. He felt tingly, but not numb. His limbs began to feel loose, forced into a state of relaxation. He tried to move, but he couldn't. Panic made him try to cry out, but he couldn't seem to open his mouth on his own. His tongue felt heavy like it had been numbed with Novocaine. The Phantom started to stroke his victim's hair, no longer needing to fear any sort of retaliation.

"Don't worry, it won't kill you," he assured in a sultry, high voice that sounded almost feminine. "It should help you enjoy this experience a bit more, though."

 _Damn._ That wasn't poison; that was an aphrodisiac. The Witty Phantom brushed his hands down Seto's thighs, leaving the skin that he touched seething and itchy. They reached his ass and gave it a squeeze, and Seto moaned behind closed lips. His head sagged forward against the Phantom's shoulder as one hand moved off of his ass and was replaced with cold air that made him itch and yearn even more. Suddenly, he felt an extension of solid, hot flesh brushing against his core.

"Maybe if you weren't yelling at me earlier, I would be in the mood to prepare you," the Phantom growled into the brunette's ear.

With a jerk of his hips, the Duel Monster entered the duelist. Kaiba cried out as something hot, slick, and thick penetrated him. He gasped as he struggled to adapt to the sudden stretching, the throbbing, the incredible _heat_ of the creature.

"You will regret disobeying your master, Seto Kaiba."

Seto couldn't hold his peace as the Phantom pounded into him mercilessly. Every sound that a human could possibly make emitted from Seto at one point or another up until the time that the Phantom ejaculated. Seto whined as fire filled him, his own need aching unbearably as his manhood demanded attention. If his limbs were fully free, he would be clawing at his partner frantically, if he had not already used his own hands to bring about his own pleasure. As it was, his arms ached from hanging and his skin burned wherever the Phantom had touched him.

"Would you like me to finish you?" he purred, pushing the sweaty hair off of Seto's forehead. Seto could only whimper in answer, the sound escalating as he lost all control of himself. He needed, and he needed _now_.

Seto had never experienced such intense relief and pleasure as he did when the Witty Phantom wrapped his hand around his member and brought him to Nirvana.

Too bad he was only a computer animation.

"As soon as I get out of here, I'm deleting you from the network entirely," Seto threatened thickly, speaking with much difficulty, but still speaking intelligibly. The Phantom just smiled back at him.

"It doesn't matter how many times you delete me, Kaiba. You'll never be able to forget me."

Seto's sapphire eyes gazed back at the Phantom with a strange mix of shock, gratitude, and resentment.

"I knew you were lonely."

* * *

 **P.S.** I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed writing interspecies humanoid smut. If you have any requests for shippings like this one, please let me know!


	24. Relocated One-Shots!

_I'm sorry, but some of my one-shots have been moved due to the fact that I wrote sequels to them and they were technically no longer one-shots. If you're looking for the one-shots that have been moved, your interest is appreciated, so please, follow these links to each story's new location:_

 **Adoptshipping** : s/11936951/2/One-True-Rival  
 **Angstshipping** : s/12034656/1/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar  
 **Antagoshipping1** : s/12024286/1/Home-Invasion  
 **Antagoshipping2** : s/12027859/1/Tainted-Love  
 **Arrogantshipping** : s/12031349/1/I-m-On-A-Blimp  
 **Butterflyshipping** : s/12138870/1/Visible  
 **Candleshipping** : s/12027859/2/Tainted-Love  
 **Carmenshipping** : s/12024286/2/Home-Invasion  
 **Changeshipping1** : s/12034656/2/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar  
 **Changeshipping2** : s/12034656/3/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar  
 **Citronshipping** : s/12034656/4/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar  
 **Minorshipping** : s/12104613/1/Food-of-Love  
 **Powershipping** : s/12034656/6/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar  
 **Prideshipping** : s/11936951/3/One-True-Rival  
 **Puffshipping** : s/12049709/1/Puff-and-Prejudice  
 **Rivalshipping** : s/11936951/1/One-True-Rival  
 **Scandalshipping** : s/12024463/2/Heartbreak-Coverup  
 **Sparkleshipping** : s/12024463/1/Heartbreak-Coverup  
 **Stoicshipping1** : s/12024485/1/Take-A-Break  
 **Stoicshipping2** : s/12024485/2/Take-A-Break  
 **Tendershipping** : s/12104514/1/Tendershipping-Drabbles  
 **Tendershipping2** : s/12104514/2/Tendershipping-Drabbles  
 **Tornshipping** : s/12034656/7/The-Amorous-Adventures-of-Marik-Ishtar


End file.
